A Warrior at Heart
by orionpax09
Summary: What would've happened if Akane knew of Ryoga's Jusenkyo curse from the beginning? How would that have changed their relationship? Ryoga/Akane.
1. Akane's Surprise

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Author's Notes: I've often wondered what would have happened if Akane had learned of Ryoga's Jusenkyo curse soon after they had met. Hence, this story, in which explore the ways in which their relationship changes. I hope everybody enjoys!

Chapter 1: Akane's Surprise

_This sure has been one strange day,_ Akane thought to herself as she went downstairs, cradling a little black piglet in her arms.

That day in school, Ranma had had another fight with the strange newcomer to the Nerima District, Ryoga Hibiki. This battle had spilled out into a destructive nightmare that had resulted in the destruction of half the Nerima zoo, along with several injuries to Ranma and Akane, their clothes being wrecked, and Akane's hair…

Akane sighed, taking a moment to feel her now-short black hair. Just so much had happened in one day, and her hair accidentally being sliced off was the least of it. _As if that wasn't bad enough, now Ryoga's showing up __**here**__ to attack Ranma!_ she thought irritably, recalling how the strange martial artist had started fighting Ranma until Akane had lobbed a barbell at his head. Now, Akane certainly understood the urge to pound on Ranma; she had it herself quite frequently! _Still, I wonder what Ranma did to make Ryoga so mad at him…_

As the little pig shifted about in her arms, Akane returned her attention to it, giving it a smile. "There, there…" she smiled, marveling at just how adorable it was, with its yellow bandana and wide, soulful eyes. What she couldn't understand was how it had gotten into her room. She knew it had been running around in the rain; it was still soaked from being outside. Then there was the matter of the bump on its head...

Akane was distracted from her musings by a voice. She wasn't able to make out the words, but she could tell that it was Ranma in his girl-form. As she entered the living room, she saw her _fiancée_, a big-busted, red-head (how perverse could you get?) sitting on the floor next to a soaking wet dog.

"Where'd that dog come from?" Akane wondered, noting the dog's large, bloodshot eyes and grey fur with brown patches. "What happened to Ryoga?"

Ranma turned to look at Akane, but then her gaze fell on the shivering bundle in her arms. "Hey, where's you get that weird-lookin' pig?"

At Ranma's words, the pig started squealing angrily, squirming about in Akane's arms. Looking down and smiling broadly, Akane pulled the pig into an even deeper embrace. "Shh, baby. Oh, be a good piggy, now. We'll get some nice medicine to put on your boo-boo, okay?"

The pig soon relaxed against Akane's chest. "Hey, I think it's blushing!" Ranma declared, setting off another barrage of angry squeals.

"Don't be stupid," Akane countered. _That's strange,_ she thought. _It's almost as if it can understand what she's saying._

Akane wasn't given any further time to contemplate this when Ranma pulled the pig from her arms and held it up above her head. "You dirty little pig! Ha, it's a HE!"

As the pig struggled futilely to get away, Akane took note of the pig's obviously male attributes. "Ooh, you're right!"

Now even angrier at Ranma's rough treatment, the pig flailed about frantically in her hands before managing to get in her face and wail away at her with its hooves. Akane smirked at the mess of scratches it left before she got it away from Ranma. She smirked even more at the hurt, indignant look Ranma had.

Amused by the pig's antics, Akane wasted no further time getting some antiseptic, and was soon sitting in the living room, gently applying the medicine to the lump on the pig's head. Akane was simply amazed at how well-behaved the little piglet was. _I wonder if you belong to somebody,_ she mused somewhat sadly. She knew she was already getting too attached to the darling creature._ You must've gotten this bandana from somewhere._

Trying to distract herself, Akane returned her attention to another mystery. "Come to think of it, Ranma, I know I've seen that dog before," Akane spoke, the dog in question having not moved since she had first seen it.

Ranma squirmed a bit at this. "Yeah?" she replied hesitantly before turning to look at the dog intently.

A few seconds passed as Akane pondered the matter, and soon the memory returned to her. "Ah, now I remember! That's the Yamada's dog. I'm sure of it! Here, Bess!"

Ranma was clearly shocked at Akane's statements, but was even more amazed when Bess barked happily, gave a doggy smile, and offered Akane its forepaw. "What?" Ranma squeaked as Akane took the paw in her hand. _You mean…this _isn't_ Ryoga?!_

Ranma knew that Ryoga now carried a Jusenkyo curse. The lost boy's admission to following Ranma to China, his refusing to allow himself to get wet, even in battle had all but confirmed this theory. But after Ryoga had been exposed to the rain during the fight and driven away, Ranma had followed him and found the final piece of evidence; Ryoga's clothes and backpack, abandoned, with Ryoga himself nowhere to be found.

When Ranma found this dog nearby, snarling menacingly at her, she had assumed that _this_ was Ryoga. There certainly was a resemblance! But if Akane was right, then…?

"Wait a sec!" The gender-bending martial artist stood and left the living room, but returned soon enough with a kettle of hot water in hand. However, just as Ranma was about to enter the living room, her foot hit a small patch of water that was left from when either she or Bess had entered earlier. Immediately, Ranma was slipping about on one foot, cartwheeling her arms in an effort to regain her balance!

"_Ranma, watch out!_" Akane screamed as the pig squealed in horror, the two of them watching helplessly as the teakettle flew from Ranma's hand. The kettle banged into the ceiling, knocking the lid free, and soon hot water was spilling everywhere!

Ranma was hit, and immediately went from a sexy red-headed girl to a taller, raven-haired boy. Bess was also splashed, but she quickly shook herself dry, not even bothering to bark. Wincing as the water hit her, Akane stared daggers at Ranma. "_Ranma!!_" she shouted, before her eyes went wide in confusion. Before the water had fallen, the pig had been squealing in terror before it had managed to wrench itself from her grip and fell to the floor. But those squeals were now replaced by much more human sounds of dismay.

Akane took note of Ranma's shocked expression, and looked down the path his gaze took, before bringing her hands to her mouth in embarrassment. Where the pig had once been, there was now a naked, well-built boy who was now looking up at the two of them. The boy shot a glare of anger at Ranma before giving a contrite glance at Akane. As the two of them blushed, the boy curled himself into a ball, hiding his privates and his face as best as he could.

As for Akane, she was in a state of shock. She could only stare as Ranma exclaimed, "Ryoga! You're…a pig!"

* * *

A few minutes later, Ryoga was wrapped up in a towel, and he, Ranma, and Akane were seated at the table, looking at each other.

"I don't believe it!" Ranma started, Akane and Ryoga still somewhat mortified by the earlier incident. "You really _did_ follow me all the way to Jusenkyo!"

"_What?!"_ Akane started, but as she looked at Ryoga, it all clicked into place. How _else_ could a person turn into a pig? "You mean…?"

Ryoga snorted as he looked away, though he shot hateful looks at Ranma from the corner of his eye. "Like I would actually just wait for you to come back? After you skipped out on our duel?!" he declared. "Do you have any idea how big China is when you're traveling on foot! I searched _everywhere,_ looking for you, Ranma!"

Akane could believe it. Ryoga may have had the worst sense of direction that she had ever seen, but she had quickly learned that he had a stubborn streak that rivaled Ranma at his best. "So…how did this happen?" she asked.

Once again blushing lightly as he looked at her, Ryoga explained, "Well, one day I was looking down a cliff, and saw all these small springs with bamboo poles sticking out of them."

"Jusenkyo, right," Ranma added. "Well, then what? You weren't actually stupid enough to go train there, were you?"

"_Train?!!_ Are you kidding me?!" Ryoga countered angrily. "Before I knew what was going on, this panda came rushing out of the woods! I'd barely got out of the way when this crazy girl came after it, and kicked me straight into the lake!!"

_A girl…and a panda…?_ Akane thought, the wheels turning in her mind as she looked at Ranma.

"And that's when I…that's when I realized that…I'd been cast straight into Hell!" Ryoga snarled at the memory. "I'd just gotten to the surface of the spring when I…"

"What? You found out you were a pig?" Ranma tossed in helpfully. When Ryoga intensified the strength of his glare, Ranma continued. "So what happened next? You got out of the spring, and…?"

"I was _pulled_ out, by the panda!" Ryoga growled. "The thing looked at me for a bit before it started skipping along, taking me to the guide's house!"

"And then what happened?" Akane asked. "Did the guide help you turn back into a human?"

"As if!" Ryoga snarled. "The first thing he did when he saw me was bring out a pair of cooking knives! The two of them were planning on boiling me alive and _eating me!!_"

Her eyes wide with horror, Akane brought her hands to her mouth. She could practically see it; Ryoga, in the form of a pig, dangling helplessly above a wok filled with boiling water. "But you turned back the instant they put you in," Ranma deduced.

Ryoga had his eyes scrunched closed at the memory. "My God! If I hadn't changed back when I did, they'd have made me into sweet 'n' sour pork and eaten me for dinner!" Then his eyes opened and spat pure hatred at Ranma. "_This is all your fault!!_"

"Hey, now, wait a minute, Ryoga!" Ranma protested. "Didn't you say that it was some _girl_ who kicked you into the cursed spring? And a _panda_ who tried to eat you?"

"So what?!" Ryoga asked as the wheels continued to turn in Akane's head.

"So how's it all my fault, then!?" Ranma asked indignantly. "I didn't do nothing! It was the girl and the panda!!" Akane glared at Ranma, as his face told her he had just realized that he was in _big_ trouble. "Wait…a panda…and a girl…?"

The three of them froze momentarily, but were suddenly distracted by sounds of steps outside in the hall. The three of them looked to see Genma Saotome, the elder martial artist in the form of a panda. The lazy warrior had a towel about his neck, and paused to look at the three teenagers. The panda brought up a sign saying 'Hello, everybody', before continuing on his way.

Seconds after Genma had left, Ryoga was still staring at where he had been with wide eyes. "A-a panda…" he started, before swiveling his gaze to Ranma. "And-and…a girl…?"

As Ranma tried to look innocent, the final wheel clicked into place in Akane's mind. "So that's it…" the youngest Tendo growled, bringing out a large hammer before standing up. Looking at Akane, Ranma babbled in protest. "DIE, RANMA!!"

Ranma scrabbled out of the way, just as Akane smashed the cushion he'd been seated upon. "Hey, wait a minute! I can explain! Really!!"

Akane refused to listen to his lies. "No wonder Ryoga hates you so much, you idiot!!" Akane spat hatefully. "You're the one who _cursed him!!_"

"Ranma…it was YOU!!" Ryoga roared in fury. Unbeknownst to Akane, he had only just made the connection himself, and now was doubly furious as he rose up and charged at Ranma!

"Now, wait! Come on, man!" Ranma protested as he dodged both Ryoga's attack and another swing of Akane's hammer. "Aw, gimme a break!"

"I'll give you _several_ breaks!!" Ryoga snarled, punching straight through a paper wall, narrowly missing Ranma as the target of his ire leapt up and clung to the ceiling.

"So what's the big deal, Ryoga?" Ranma asked nervously, eyeing his two assailants as they closed in on him. "It's not like you're the only with Cursed Spring Syndrome, right?"

"Oh, so now you're whining about your so-called _problems_, Ranma?" Ryoga retorted. "That's pathetic! You may be a pervert, but at least you get to stay _human!_"

Akane was puzzled by this, and in this moment of confusion, Ryoga leapt up, trying to grab Ranma. But Ranma quickly countered this move, greeting Ryoga with a kick to the face that sent him flying out of the living room and straight outside, where it was still raining.

"Ryoga!!" Akane cried out as Ryoga's form shrank back down into that of a pig, the towel falling down on top of him.

"You jerk!" Ranma grumped as he came down to the floor and marched over to where Ryoga was, still struggling to get out from under the towel and back out of the rain. He had barely succeeded when Ranma picked him up his bandana and dangled him in mid-air. "I try to be nice, and this is the thanks I get?!"

"Leave him alone!" Akane pleaded. "Haven't you done enough?!"

However, her pleas fell upon deaf ears as Ranma gave Ryoga a light toss before kicking him! "Goodbye and good riddance!" the pigtailed martial artist shouted as the little black piglet sailed out of sight!

Turning about while brushing his hands together in the manner of a job well done, Ranma had his eyes closed when he said, "There! So much for -!"

"_You jerk!!"_ Akane screeched as she brought down the hammer upon Ranma's head. As the biggest creep and pervert she had ever met collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, Akane tossed the hammer aside and ran out into the rain, running in the general direction she had seen Ryoga flying off in.

"Ryoga! _Ryoga!"_ Akane cried out as she navigated the street in her slippers, her pajamas instantly soaked as she looked this way and that, searching for any sign of a helpless, little black piglet.

About a minute later, Akane heard something, and slowed down to investigate. Looking down an alley, she something rattling about in the piles of garbage strewn there. "Ryoga?" she spoke hesitantly, searching the gloom between the buildings for any sign of him. "Ryoga?" she tried again, raising her voice, slowly entering the alley, carefully watching her step.

She was startled to see something darting towards one of the garbage cans. It turned out to be several alley cats, growling unnervingly as they converged on the garbage can, which Akane could see was rattling about, a squealing sound emanating from it. "Ryoga!" Akane guessed, and was relieved to see Ryoga's little porcine shape drag itself out of the can. Only to have that relief cut short when the black piglet was knocked from the top of the can by a spectacularly mean-looking alley cat that jumped down upon him!

As Ryoga crashed to the ground, it was like a signal to the other cats, who quickly leapt upon the fallen pig! Horrified by this sight, Akane grabbed for a long section of pipe that was standing nearby. "_Get away from him!!_" Akane shrieked, charging the marauding felines, swinging the pipe like a quarterstaff as she knocked the vicious cats away. Hissing in protest, the cats finally decided that this was one meal that wasn't worth the trouble, and finally retreated.

As the last of the cats fled from sight, Akane panted lightly before looking down at Ryoga, feeling her heart clench as she did. Though the assault had only lasted for a few seconds, the piglet's black skin was marred with numerous bite and claw marks.

The rain falling on her head mixed with the tears from her eyes as Akane watched Ryoga give a light oink before struggling back to his hooves. The piglet weakly looked at Akane, as if unsure as to what she was doing there.

Akane immediately fell to her knees, her face a picture of sadness as she held out her hands to Ryoga. The piglet with the heart of the warrior looked at her hands for a moment before he finally collapsed into them. Akane then picked him up, paying no heed to the blood as she held him close, nuzzling him with her cheek. She had been confused earlier, when Ryoga had snarled that Ranma was fortunate that he stayed human, despite his transformation.

Not anymore. Akane had just seen how defenseless such a tiny creature could be, in a world filled with destructive giants that could crush him without effort. How isolated he was, without hands to work things with, without a voice that could convey his desperation.

As Akane looked at Ryoga's soulful eyes, even more tears flooded her own as she held Ryoga close. "I'm sorry…" she cried, weeping uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

After a while, Akane made it back to the Tendo dojo, Ryoga tucked securely in her arms. She crept about carefully, looking for any sign of Ranma. _I can't let that jerk hurt Ryoga anymore, _Akane thought furiously, easily seeing Ranma doing even worse things to Ryoga if he caught him here again.

Much to Akane's relief, there was no sign of the creep as she made her way to the bathroom. Ryoga gave no protest as Akane carefully cleaned him up and dressed his wounds. Soon, medicine marked every injury the cats had given him. "Ryoga, would you mind looking away for a second?" Akane asked, setting him on the sink, just remembering how soaked she was. "I just want to get out of these pajamas."

Ryoga nodded, a light blush appearing on his porcine face as he turned about. "Thanks," Akane murmured as she quickly shed her sodden sleepwear and wrapped herself in a towel. Grabbing another towel for Ryoga, Akane picked the pig up, and the two of them went back downstairs.

"Here, Ryoga. Let's get some hot water going," Akane stated as she entered the kitchen with Ryoga clutched securely to her chest. However, when she looked about, there was no sign of the teakettle. "Huh? Where'd it…oh, right," Akane concluded, remembering the fiasco in the living room. Giving a weary sigh, Akane carried Ryoga to the living room. It didn't take long to find the kettle, but even as they did, Akane felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. The rain and the various shocks she had endured were clearly taking their toll.

Ryoga oinked in concern as Akane yawned heavily. "I'm alright, Ryoga," she said reassuringly, her eyelids growing heavier even as she spoke. "I'm sorry, I just need to sit down for a minute."

Finding a convenient cushion, Akane leaned against the table, draping the free towel about herself and the pig. "Don't worry, Ryoga…" she whispered to the little black bundle in her arms as she slowly drifted away. "We'll have you…back to normal…in just a…minute…"

With that, Akane fell asleep with her head resting against the table, Ryoga still held warmly, lovingly in her arms.

* * *

Author's Notes: This is just a little something I came up with when I was trying to come with some new story ideas. A little sappy, but I think it turned out rather nicely. Don't know where I'm going or when I'll update. That depends entirely on how my muses are fairing.

Please, read and review. And if you like, check out my other stories as well.


	2. Welcome Home!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 2: Welcome Home!

"Akane? Akane?"

As Akane slowly awoke to the sound of her own name, she winced slightly at how sore she felt, and as she opened her eyes, she found herself looking into the concerned face of her eldest sister Kasumi, who was kneeling down beside her. "Akane, what are you doing, sleeping here? Why aren't you in bed?"

"Huh?" Akane replied as she became more awake. As more of the fog dissipated from her brain, her eyes widened in realization. Looking this way and that, Akane became more concerned as she asked, "Wh…wait, where's Ryoga?"

"Ryoga?" Kasumi repeated blankly. "You mean Ranma's little friend?"

Before Akane could say anything to counter this, their middle sister Nabiki was heard. "Hey, Akane, what were you doing with this?" When Akane focused on Nabiki, she saw and heard Ryoga in his pig-form, dangling helplessly from Nabiki's hand by his bandana.

"Ryoga!" Akane cried out as she managed to get to her feet. Somewhat gracelessly, she stomped over and took the warrior-in-pig's-skin from her sister's careless grasp.

"Huh? Ryoga?" Nabiki asked blankly as Akane nuzzled him with her cheek.

Somewhat embarrassed by the way she had just blurted out Ryoga's name, Akane took a deep breath and focused on her sisters. "It's a Jusenkyo curse," she explained as Ryoga squirmed about slightly in her hands. "Look, we'll explain it all later. Kasumi, could you please get some hot water?"

"Of course," Kasumi replied. "I was getting some ready for Ranma and Mr. Saotome. They're having their morning workout, after all."

"Thanks, Kasumi," Akane smiled, now noticing the sounds of the morning sparring session that almost always resulted in Ranma and/or Genma falling into the small pond of koi fish in the yard. As Kasumi left, Akane turned that smile on Ryoga, who was still shifting about it her arms. "Don't worry, Ryoga, we'll have you back to normal in no time."

"So, you're serious about this?" Nabiki wondered. "That pig really _is_ that weirdo?"

Akane fixed Nabiki with a glare as Ryoga squealed in annoyance. "Hey, Ryoga _isn't_ weird!" she protested. Then, thinking in retrospect, _Well…no weirder than Ranma, anyway…_

Shaking herself free of these thoughts, the youngest Tendo gathered up the spare towel she had gotten for Ryoga. "Here you go, Akane," Kasumi spoke as she returned, teakettle in hand.

"Great, thanks," Akane responded as she set Ryoga down on the ground and covered him up with the towel, so that only his head was exposed. Holding the hot water at the ready, Akane asked "Okay, are you ready?" Ryoga just seemed to blush somewhat, and released squeals of concern as he looked past Akane. Blinking twice in confusion, Akane looked in the direction Ryoga was and saw her sisters.

"Oh, right!" Akane whispered to the pig before returning her attention to the objects of his concern. "Um, could you two just…turn around for a second?"

"Oh, but of course!" Kasumi answered, and quickly turned her back. Nabiki looked as if she couldn't care one way or the other, but finally turned about as well.

With that taken care of, Akane returned her gaze to Ryoga, whose ears were raised in obvious gratitude. Giggling, Akane said, "Okay, here we go!" With that, she poured a small amount of hot water onto Ryoga's head.

Like magic (unsurprisingly), Ryoga was restored to himself. Though he was still clearly embarrassed by his state of being mostly undressed, he quickly wrapped the towel more securely around him. "Um, thanks, Akane," he spoke nervously as he got to his feet.

"No problem," Akane responded as her sisters turned to look at them.

"Oh, my," Kasumi murmured.

"Well, things just keep getting more interesting around here," Nabiki smirked.

As for Ryoga, his biggest concern was that he was being faced with three beautiful girls and the only thing he was wearing was a _towel_. "Umm…" he fumbled, his cheeks rosy as he tried to figure out what to say next.

"Oh, that's right! Ryoga, what happened to your clothes?" Akane asked.

Squirming somewhat, Ryoga blushed furiously as he responded, "I, uh…I kinda...lost them last night…"

As Kasumi let out a sympathetic gasp, Nabiki just gave the lost boy a coy look. "You _lost_ your clothes? How'd you manage to pull that one off?" When Ryoga responded to this by shooting Nabiki a look filled with humiliation and indignation, the middle sister blinked a few times before she smirked. "Oh, right…"

"Nabiki…" Akane grimaced despairingly. Then, returning her attention to Ryoga, she smiled encouragingly. "That's okay. You can borrow some of Ranma's clothes for now, and after breakfast, we'll go look for your stuff."

"Okay," Ryoga responded, but then his eyes took on a surprised cast. "Wait...breakfast?"

"Well, of course!" Akane responded. "You must be hungry, right?"

If anything, Ryoga seemed even more embarrassed. "Uh…I guess so…but…"

"Oh, it's no problem!" Kasumi broke in. "You're welcome to join us."

"I…thank you…but…" Ryoga sputtered.

"Now, no arguments," Akane declared, though she was becoming more confused at Ryoga's hesitation. She was about to say more when she was cut off by the sound of a loud splash from outside.

A few seconds later, came the high-pitched screech of girl-Ranma. "What'd you do _that_ for?! Stupid old man!!" Ranma was soon answered by the guttural voice of a panda, and Ryoga and the girls were then treated to the sounds of a sparring match turning into a mindless brawl.

Akane groaned at this. This was turning into another typical day at the Tendo Dojo…

* * *

As usual, it took some time for everyone to get calmed down for breakfast. Kasumi helped Ranma and Genma change back to their semi-normal selves while Akane raided Ranma's wardrobe. Before long, Ryoga was garbed in the same Chinese clothing the Ranma favored. Akane was just grateful that the two of them were fairly close in size and build.

As Akane led the lost boy down for breakfast, she was confused as Ryoga seemed more uncomfortable than ever. Turning to look at him, Akane asked, "Ryoga…is something wrong?"

"Huh?" Ryoga started. He had been looking down at his feet, but then he glanced at Akane before averting his eyes in shame.

Feeling her own heart sink at this, Akane spoke, "C'mon, Ryoga, what is it?"

"Well, it's just that…" Ryoga fumbled momentarily. Then, sighing deeply, he continued. "I know I've been a lot of trouble for you, Akane. Especially with…"

It took Akane a few seconds to figure out what he meant. "Oh, _that!_" Akane smiled, fingering her hair as she did. When Ryoga blushed in further shame, Akane gave a soft sigh. "Don't worry about it, Ryoga. I was thinking about cutting it, anyway. I mean, shorter hair is a lot easier to manage."

"Well, I guess so, but still…"

"Like I said, don't worry about it," Akane reassured him. "Now come on! We'd better have breakfast before Ranma and his father eat it all!"

Ryoga just nodded slightly, and the two of them continued downstairs. As they went, Akane shot one more thoughtful look at Ryoga. _In some ways, he's a lot like Ranma. They're both proud martial artists, both stubborn and impatient,_ she thought to herself. _But in others, they're so different. I can't imagine Ranma _ever_ being so meek and apologetic. Ryoga is a little bad-tempered, but he's so sensitive. And I guess I can't blame him for being angry, what with that curse of his…_

Akane's chain of thought was cut off as she and Ryoga arrived at the dining room to find Ranma and Genma inhaling their rice before asking for seconds. Or maybe it was thirds by now. "Oh, hello, Akane," Soun Tendo spoke as he looked up from his own morning repast. He narrowed his eyes as Ryoga followed her in. "Hmmm? And who do we have here?"

"Akane brought a guest over, Father," Kasumi informed him. "Wasn't that nice of her?"

"A guest, huh? Who…?" Ranma started, only now looking up from his food. When he saw Ryoga standing there, he blinked twice before turning red and choking on his rice.

"Hmm? What is it, boy?" Genma asked as Ranma coughed violently.

"_Ryoga!!_" Ranma finally got out, spitting out grains of rice all over the place. "What the _Hell_ are you doing in _my clothes!?_"

"Hey, watch it, Ranma!!" Ryoga growled, taking a combative stance.

Sensing a fight in the makings, Akane took position between the two of them. "I let him borrow some of your things until we can get his own clothes back. You've got a problem with that?"

"You _bet_ I have a problem with that!!" Ranma shouted, jumping to his feet and readying for battle.

"Look, it's just until Ryoga gets his own clothes back!" Akane countered.

"Akane, what is going on here?!" Soun asked, leveling a formidable gaze at everybody involved.

As Ranma and Ryoga paused to look at the head of the Tendo Dojo, Akane sighed, and prepared herself. "Well, Dad, it's like this…"

* * *

Akane spent the next few minutes explaining Ryoga's situation to everyone there, while procuring some rice and miso soup for the lost boy. Though Ryoga continued to glare angrily at Ranma and his father, he was otherwise quiet as he ate. "And that's it," Akane concluded, noting that Ryoga had much better table manners than either of the Saotomes. "Ranma knocked Ryoga into the Heitowen'niichuan (Spring of Drowned Black Piglet). That's why Ryoga came after him."

"Hmm, I see," Soun noted, gazing thoughtfully at Ryoga. "Well, that certainly explains a great deal."

As several gazes turned his way, Ranma's face turned to one of indignation. "Hey, come on! It's not like I was _trying_ to knock the idiot in! I didn't even see him!"

Ryoga scowled at this, but it was Genma who spoke. "That doesn't absolve your responsibility for Ryoga's condition, boy!" the elder Saotome growled, standing up to loom over his son. "It's your own fault that Ryoga is in this predicament! Now, be a man for once and admit your errors!"

"Oh, like your little 'error' of wanting sweet 'n' sour pork?" Ranma sniped.

"That's completely different!" Genma countered, never once losing that expression of righteous fatherhood. "I had no way of knowing that Ryoga was human!"

"_No way of knowing?!" _Ranma shouted incredulously. "You found him in a _cursed spring!!!_ How could you _not_ know?!"

Genma was clearly flustered by his son's point, but pushed on despite it. "In any case, if _you_ hadn't knocked Ryoga into that spring, none of this would have ever happened!"

"Hey, it's his own fault for following us to China in the first place!!" Ranma retorted.

"_My_ fault?!" Ryoga cried out indignantly. "_You're_ the one who skipped out on our fight!"

"Skipped out?! You had me waiting for _three days!!_" Ranma countered.

"Alright then, that's enough of that!" Soun declared, the force of his voice grabbing everybody's attention. "Now, it seems to me that there's plenty of blame to go around here." Narrowing his eyes, Soun scrutinized each of the warriors. "Now, Ryoga, while I understand the pride you feel as a martial artist, the fact remains that it's unreasonable of you to expect for someone to wait days on end for your arrival."

Ryoga's face twisted with outrage at this. "What?! You think I _enjoy_ getting lost all the time?!"

"Of course not, but nonetheless, you have to admit that you would not be in this predicament if you hadn't followed Ranma to China." Ranma smirked as Ryoga hung his head in humiliation. A smirk that was soon erased as Soun turned his gaze to fix the pigtailed boy. "However, that being said, I can also understand Ryoga's frustration. Your little Bread Feud with him was the height of immaturity, Ranma."

"Hey, c'mon! It was a _boys'_ school!" Ranma exploded. "Do you have any idea what those are like?! When it comes to lunch, it was like all-out war!"

"As a matter of fact, I _did_ attend a boys' school, Ranma, and I'm fully aware of the things that go on in that kind of environment," Soun responded, taking some of the wind out of Ranma's sails. "But still, snatching food out of someone's mouth on a daily basis is inexcusable behavior. And accident or not, you _did_ knock Ryoga into a cursed spring. Therefore, you _do_ bear some responsibility as to his current condition."

"That's right!" Genma declared, while Ryoga grinned triumphantly at Ranma's disgusted expression.

"And as for you, Saotome," Soun continued, causing Genma's face to freeze up, "considering your own experience with the cursed springs, I would think that you should have at least suspected that Ryoga was human."

"Ah, well, um…" Genma sputtered, much to the amusement of everybody present.

"So, it looks like no one here is exactly innocent, now does it?" Nabiki smirked, eyeing the cursed martial artists with an air of naughty delight.

"Exactly. Furthermore, it seems to me that the three of you are all in the same boat, as it were," Soun continued, eyeing the three of them as if he were scrutinizing the pieces on his _shogi_ board. Finally, he smiled as a winning strategy occurred to him. "Therefore, it would seem to me that the best thing for the three of you would be to put aside your differences for the time being and work together."

Looks of outrage and disbelief formed on the faces of Ranma and Ryoga, the two of them launched a barrage of protests regarding the very _idea_ of actually working with the other. "Now, hold on, you two!" Soun countered before they could too much momentum. "Yes, I realize it may be difficult, but honestly, fighting each other won't help anything. Instead, what you should be focusing on is finding a cure for your respective curses."

"And how is working with _him_ supposed to help?!" Ranma protested, standing up and pointing his finger right into Ryoga's nose.

"That's what I want to know!" Ryoga chimed in.

"There is strength to be found in numbers. That applies to life as well as battle, you two," Soun responded, hoping to somehow settle things between the two of them before their feud stirred up even _more_ chaos! "Also, it seems to me that the time you spend fighting each other could be put to much better use. Such as finding a cure for the curse."

"Ryoga couldn't find his way to the _bathroom_ without getting lost!" Ranma countered, drawing hateful glares from Ryoga and Akane.

"Well, I have to say, it seems very reasonable to me," Kasumi added, the serious and somewhat stern mothering look she wore drawing looks of surprise from everyone. "After all, if Ranma really did curse Ryoga, then it's only fair that he help cure him."

"Aww…" Ranma moaned in defeat. There simply was _no way_ he could ever argue with Kasumi. In the short time he'd been living at the Tendo Dojo, Kasumi had never once made some nasty joke about his curse, or been rude or unreasonable to him about anything. He couldn't even _think_ of an argument while fixed by her kind, soulful eyes.

"Then it's settled," Kasumi smiled, knowing this was Ranma's version of saying 'yes' in a situation like this. "Ryoga, if you're going to be staying around here, you can live here with us as long as you want."

"What? Really?" Ryoga responded nervously, as if unable to believe what was happening.

"Great," Nabiki spoke, narrowing her eyes at Ryoga. "And now we've got a_nother_ freeloader…"

"Nabiki…" Akane responded disdainfully. Was money the _only_ thing her sister thought of?

"Hey, it's not like that!" Ryoga growled in response. Then, as if catching himself, he forced himself to look only at the table. "I…I'll be happy to work at the dojo…earn my keep here…"

Turning to look at Ryoga, Akane couldn't help but smile. Ever since they'd arrived, Ranma and Genma had done nothing to help out around the dojo. She hadn't known Ryoga for very long, but she was already getting to like him. "Hey, its okay, Ryoga. We'll work something out," she spoke reassuringly. "And now that everything's settled, we can go find your clothes!"

Ryoga still looked somewhat troubled, but when he looked at Akane, there was nothing but pure gratitude in his eyes. "Akane, I…"

As for Ranma, he was thoroughly stewing in his own juices. He simply couldn't believe how much trouble he had gotten into since that _pig_ had shown up! And now he was going to be _living_ here?! Ranma was quite certain that he'd never done anything to deserve all this grief, and eventually decided that some old-fashioned Japanese deity thought it would be fun to make his life completely miserable.

And the bad news just kept coming. "That's my girl, Akane," Soun smiled. "Ranma, why don't you go help them?"

It took a few seconds for Ranma's distressed mind to process Soun's request. It took even longer for him to realize that, no, he hadn't misinterpreted anything. "What?!" Ranma finally shouted, unable to come up with anything more intelligent.

"Come on, son. You're all in this together now, right?" Soun smiled encouragingly. "Besides, the sooner you help Ryoga, the sooner you can get your clothes back."

Ranma was unhappy with this, but couldn't find any flaw in Soun's logic. While he was groaning in dismay, Akane was sticking her nose up at him. "Besides, it's the least you can do after kicking Ryoga into an alley filled with cats!"

"W-what? Cats?!" Ranma looked up at the mentioning of those horrifying creatures. "Whaddaya mean? What cats?!"

"What cats?!" Akane countered, pure disdain shooting from her eyes. "When you kicked Ryoga out last night, he landed in an alley filled with starving cats! He almost got eaten alive because of you!"

"Oh, my! No wonder Ryoga has so many scratches!" Kasumi gaped.

While Ryoga was blushing, trying to reassure the girls that he was perfectly fine, Ranma's thoughts were of another time. His face creasing with horror, he thought back to his childhood, when his father, in an act of pure idiocy, decided it would be a good idea to dump him into a pit of starving cats on four separate occasions, wrapped in various fish products.

"Well, now, Ranma, it would seem that you now have another reason why you should help Ryoga," Soun stated while Akane just stared at Ranma, wondering what was upsetting him so much.

As for Ranma, he was just looking at the expectant faces around him, and thinking that he actually caused someone to endure the horrendous fate of being assaulted by as horde of starving cats. Shuddering at the thought of their claws and teeth raking his body, Ranma finally screwed up his face in frustration and growled, "Okay, okay! I'll go, already!!" Shooting to his feet, Ranma looked at Ryoga with a disgusted expression. "Well, are you coming or not?!"

"What, you think I'll just let you go and do this by yourself?" Ryoga retorted, hurriedly downing the last of his breakfast before standing up.

"Hold on, I'll come with you!" Akane declared.

Soun narrowed his eyes as his daughter got up to follow the boys. When Akane looked at Ryoga, Soun thought he something in her eyes. Something…but he dismissed it. After all, he was someone in trouble, who needed help. So Akane was helping him. What could be more natural?

Still, he decided to keep an eye on things. Just to be safe.

* * *

"Do you have any idea where your clothes are, Ryoga?" Akane wondered as the three of them headed out the front door.

"Eh, don't bother, Akane," Ranma broke in, the pigtailed boy just in front of the others. "Besides, I know where your little _piggy_ lost them."

"You do? How?" Akane asked while Ryoga fumed some more. But after blinking a few times, Akane's face contorted into one of angered realization. "Hey, wait a minute! Are you saying that you found them last night and just _left them there?!_ What were you _thinking?!_"

"Hey, I thought Ryoga was that _dog_, okay?!" Ranma protested vigorously. "When I found the clothes, it was right there, snarling at me! Who _else_ coulda it been?!"

"So you brought the _dog_ back and not Ryoga's _clothes?!_" Akane countered, veins bulging from her forehead.

"Aw, man, c'mon! It was pouring out last night!"

Fists clenched and teeth gritted, Akane was ready, willing, and about to inflict some serious bodily harm on Ranma when Ryoga spoke. "Its okay, Akane," the lost boy said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"But, Ryoga…" Akane responded, confused by the expression of shame he wore.

Ranma just stood there perplexedly as Ryoga looked at him. "C'mon, let's just get this over with already," the lost boy muttered, looking like he was carrying the weight of the world around on his back.

"Um, sure. It's this way," Ranma stated, once again taking the lead. _Ryoga's _not_ trying to kill me? Is he sick or something?_

Akane also noticed Ryoga's unusual behavior. _Something's been up with him all day,_ Akane decided. _He looks so…ashamed. Embarrassed. But why…? _Akane pondered the matter for a while, and after putting herself in Ryoga's position, she realized that Ryoga must be at the end of his pride. It would be humiliating enough for any true martial to have to deal with the reality that being splashed with water would instantly rob him or her of all the skill and strength they had cultivated, but to be an object of pity as well?

_If it were me…_ Akane thought, looking sorrowfully at the lost boy. _If it were me, I'd probably just want to crawl under the nearest rock and die. Oh, Ryoga…I'm sorry…_

Akane's musings were cut short by Ranma crying out, "Okay, here they are." Looking up, Akane spotted Ryoga's belongings lying on the street, a sodden mess after last night's storm.

Without a word, Ryoga hefted up his backpack, sans the umbrella he had lost at the dojo. "Here, let me get those," Akane spoke, forgetting herself in her desire to help. Before anybody could say something, she knelt down and started to pick up Ryoga's pants…only to find herself straining beneath their weight!

"What the…?!" Akane sputtered in disbelief as she struggled to stand up with only a pair of _pants_ in her arms.

"Here, I'd better get those," Ryoga stated as he scooped up his shirt and shoes. "Those are lined with chain mail, so they're sort of heavy."

"Whoa, Ryoga! You mean you wear _weighted_ clothes?!" Ranma noted, his arms folded across his chest as Akane gave Ryoga his pants.

"Why not? It's good training, isn't it?" Ryoga retorted, some of his usual temper returning.

"I guess so, considering all the walking you do," Ranma smirked while Akane wondered again just _how_ Ryoga could handle such enormous amounts of weight. She knew the umbrella he usually carried was monstrously heavy, but…

The sight of something moving caught Akane's attention, at which point she scowled in annoyance. "Oh, great! More _cats!_"

"Huh? W-where?!" Ranma sputtered, looking about frantically just before he felt something nuzzle at his leg. Looking down, he spotted one tiny, harmless white kitten rubbing at his leg.

"Meow," the kitten said, looking up at him as if begging for some love.

"_YYAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!_" Ranma shrieked before jumping several feet straight up, wrapping his arms around a streetlight, staring in horror at the tiny bundle of fluff that just sat there below.

"Ranma? What are you doing?!" Akane shouted in disbelief. "It's just a little kitten! See?"

As Akane scooped the kitten into her hands and held it up for Ranma to see, the gender-bending martial artist shrieked even louder. "_Get it away from me!!"_ he cried out before slipping from the streetlight. Too scared to do anything else, Ranma fell back to the Earth, and smashed into the concrete headfirst. With the sound of vertebrae popping, he fell onto his back, his eyes wide and completely blank.

Akane and Ryoga just stared for a moment. Then, his face contorting into an expression of mirth, incredulity, and pure satisfaction, Ryoga cried out, "I-I don't believe it! Ranma's…_afraid_ of _cats?!!"_ The notion too much for him to believe, but the proof too overwhelming to be ignored, Ryoga fell to his knees, laughing out loud, tears falling from his eyes.

Stock-still with amazement, Akane just looked at the two boys while the tiny ball of fur that had paralyzed Ranma decided the Akane's arms were extremely comfortable, and thus a perfect place for a nap.

* * *

Heh heh, I've been looking forward to this part. Ranma may be the title character, but the stuff he pulls on Ryoga is unforgivable. Especially that whole 'long-lost girlfriend/sister/fiancée bit. Yeah, it may be excessive, but I definitely think that some payback is in order. And after all the cracks Ranma's made of Ryoga's bad sense of direction, what better way to humble him then with his fear of cats?

TMH, I know Ranma is being a serious jerk here, but you have to remember that this story is set _very_ early in the series. In the middle of first season, in fact. At this point, Ranma is at the peak of jerkdom.

Tuisto, I honestly don't think I'm being excessive in my Ranma bashing, but then again, you are entitled to your opinion.

Please, everybody, read and review. I hope you'll all join me for the next chapter!


	3. Of Cats, Dogs, and Kuno

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 3: Of Cats, Dogs, and Kuno…

"Ranma. Afraid of _cats…_" Ryoga murmured in awe, still unable to believe it. Here he was, carrying the unconscious Ranma across his shoulder after his little accident, and Ryoga _still_ couldn't believe that he had actually seen his enemy screaming in terror at the sight of the harmless white kitten that Akane was now carrying in her arms.

"What'd you say, Ryoga?" Akane asked as the kitten purred away without a care in the world.

"I, uh…" Ryoga fumbled momentarily, trying to think of something intelligent to say. "Oh, I was just wondering how much farther to Doctor…uh, what was his name again?"

"Doctor Tofu Ono," Akane reminded him. "He's been taking care of my injuries ever since I was a little kid. It's not much farther to his place. Why? Are you getting tired?"

"No, of course not!" Ryoga replied defensively. "I was just…you know, curious, that's all." Though he quickly grimaced at just how lame that sounded, Ryoga was immediately relieved when Akane appeared to accept this. Ryoga continued to follow Akane, barely aware of Ranma's weight on his shoulder.

_I still can't believe it,_ Ryoga thought to himself. A grin appeared on his face as he imagined what might have happened if he'd fallen into some kind of drowned cat spring, instead of the drowned piglet one. He was certain that he wouldn't have come within a hairsbreadth of being eaten, and the thought of being able to terrify Ranma with his appearance alone…

_Yeah, right, like that'd be fair,_ Ryoga thought with a certain measure of bitterness. Hiding behind an opponent's weakness in such a manner was pathetic, the act of a true coward. And it certainly wouldn't result in the kind of victory Ryoga desired over Ranma.

Still…it was plenty of fun to think about.

"Oh, hey, Mr. Saotome!" Akane called out before rushing ahead. Roused from his thoughts, Ryoga looked towards Akane, and saw the huge panda that was Genma Saotome calmly sweeping the walkway before them. Memories of almost becoming the pork in Genma's sweet 'n' sour pork flashed through Ryoga's mind, bringing a horde of goosebumps along with it.

"What's he doing here?" Ryoga wondered, staring in confusion at the panda.

"Oh, that's right! I forgot to tell you, but he works Dr. Tofu as a part-time assistant," Akane explained.

While Akane was speaking, Genma held up a sign saying, 'Hi, Ryoga.' Then the panda took note of his son on the lost boy's shoulder. Rotating the sign about, Akane was faced with a new message; 'What happened?'

"Ranma had a little accident. That's why we brought him here," Akane told him. Frowning somewhat, Akane asked, "Um, I was just wondering…do you know anything about Ranma…being afraid of cats?"

* * *

"If I had an idiot like you for a father, I'd probably just shoot myself and get it over with," Ryoga told the elder Saotome in a frank tone. Shortly after delivering Ranma into Dr. Tofu's care, he and Akane had joined the now-human Genma in the doctor's waiting room, listening to him describe in extensive detail how he'd attempted to train Ranma in the dreaded Cat-Fist technique. "You wrapped Ranma in _fish sausage_ and dumped him into a pit of starving _cats?! _No wonder he's scared of them!"

While Genma snorted in disdain at Ryoga, Akane gave the lazy warrior a concerned look. "Isn't there anything you can do about it, though? Like…maybe if we got Ranma _used_ to cats…"

"Believe me, Akane, I tried everything I could think of," Genma responded, fingering his glasses as he spoke. "I tried wrapping the boy in sardines before tossing him into the cats, but that didn't work. Then I tried it with salted sardines, but that was no good. I finally plastered him with fish cakes, but…" Genma trailed off as he found himself faced by two pairs of narrowed eyes.

"You know…" Ryoga muttered, unable to believe the blatant example of pure stupidity that sat before him. "For the first time in my life…I'm actually feeling sorry for Ranma."

Genma was preparing to say something in protest, but it was at that moment that Dr. Tofu exited the treatment room, dressed in his traditional black training dogi. "Dr. Tofu, how's Ranma doing?" Akane asked.

Dr. Tofu sighed somewhat. "Not so good right now. We're dealing with a _very_ severe dislocation of his neck. Between that and what happened to his spinal column…" Trailing off, the doctor shrugged. "I've applied some herbal wraps to the affected areas; they'll loosen his muscles and take away some of the swelling. Once that's done, I'll be able to do more for him. But I'm afraid he'll have to stay here for a few hours."

"I see," Akane responded, looking somewhat saddened by this. Ryoga found himself frowning at this. The sight of Akane showing concern for Ranma…it rankled him. He wasn't sure why, though.

"Don't worry, Akane; everything's going to be just fine," Dr. Tofu reassured her. "As I said, his muscles need to be relaxed before I can do anything else for him. Why don't you go visit with him for a minute or so?"

"Good idea, Doctor," Genma chimed in. "The boy could probably use some support from his fiancée right now."

The moment that one little word popped out of Genma's mouth, Ryoga felt a heated wave of anger overtaking him. "What?! _Fiancée?!!"_

"It was our parents' idea!!" Akane automatically told Ryoga, blushing in humiliation. "It's not like I actually _want_ to be married to that pervert!!"

"Now, Akane…!" Dr. Tofu spoke, holding his hands up as he smiled in a disarming manner.

Upon seeing Dr. Tofu looking at her in that way, Akane scowled and swiveled her gaze in the opposite direction. "Oh, forget it!" she snorted, and then looked towards Ryoga. "Come on, Ryoga, let's just go home!"

"Okay, Akane," Ryoga growled as Akane moved towards the door.

"Wait a minute, Akane," Genma spoke, rising up from his seat and moving over to her. "What are you going to do with that?"

As Genma indicated the purring ball of fluff that Akane was still holding, the young Tendo's eyes widened in embarrassment. "Oh…right!" Akane remarked, examining the tiny white kitten that had brought Ranma to his knees. "I guess we can't keep it, can't we?" Then she frowned sadly. "It's too bad, though. It's such a cute little thing; I hate the idea of just leaving it out on the streets."

"Not to worry, Akane," Dr. Tofu remarked smilingly. "As it happens, I have quite a bit of room at my place. If you like, I'd be happy to take care of that kitten for you. That way, you could visit it whenever you wanted."

"Really?" Akane smiled, the happiness she expressed so brilliant that Ryoga felt his own heart melting at the sight of it. "Oh, Dr. Tofu, you're the best!" Then, holding the kitten up to her face, she asked, "So what do you think? Would you like to live with Dr. Tofu?"

"Meow," was the kitten's response.

Giggling, Akane handed the kitten over to the kindly doctor. "Well, I guess its official!"

"It sure looks that way," Dr. Tofu agreed as the kitten curled up in his arms. Smiling at the darling bundle of fluff, the doctor soon returned his attention to Akane. "Have a nice day, Akane. And don't worry about Ranma; I'll have him back on his feet in time."

"Okay," Akane responded. Then she turned to Ryoga. "Shall we get going?"

"Uh…sure," Ryoga responded, still unsettled by the dazzling emotion he had seen in Akane's face before. After a few seconds, however, he managed to follow Akane as she exited the doctor's office.

_Hmm,_ Genma thought to himself as the lost boy passed by him. _I don't like the way Ryoga was looking at Akane…I'd better talk to Tendo about him…_

* * *

Ryoga and Akane were walking along in almost disturbing silence as they made their way back to the Tendo Dojo. The lost boy was still unsettled by the things that had been happening lately, and honestly didn't know what to think about his present situation. What concerned him even more was the way he felt himself reacting to Akane.

_She really is pretty,_ Ryoga thought as he looked at the girl. When he'd first encountered her, he'd seen her as nothing more than an annoyance, a friend and ally to his hated enemy. But now, after causing her so much grief, and having seen the way the two fought, with Akane attacking Ranma, even taking Ryoga's side against him…

"Hey, Akane?" Ryoga started, his musings giving way to some questions. "Why are Ranma and his father staying at your place, anyway? And what's this about you two being…engaged?"

Giving a light snort, Akane stuck her nose up slightly. "It's not my idea, but apparently, my dad decided to have Ranma marry one of us, to carry on the dojo."

"M-marry?" Ryoga repeated, the very concept making his blood boil. "Y-you mean…?!"

Frowning even more fiercely, Akane looked at Ryoga with anger in her eyes. "Of course, my sisters decided that _I_ should be the one to marry that jerk!"

"You?" Ryoga sputtered. "B-but why…?"

Sighing, Akane just looked at Ryoga somewhat sadly. "Well…I can't stand most of the boys at my school. They're all so immature, always driving me crazy, trying to get dates with me. So my sisters figured that I wouldn't mind be married to someone who was half-_girl!_"

"What?!" Ryoga spat, horrified at this development. "B-but…forcing you to marry someone…?"

"Yeah, I know. And they all think it's some big joke!" Akane muttered angrily. Then a thought occurred to her. "Hey, speaking of family, Ryoga, what about yours? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Me?" Ryoga responded, surprised at this change in conversation. "Well, actually, I'm an only child."

"I see," Akane replied easily. "And what about your parents? Don't you think they're worried about you?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen them in a long time," Ryoga confessed, riveting Akane's attention.

"Really? How come?" Akane wondered. "Is it because you were chasing Ranma?"

"Well, yeah, there's that, but…" Ryoga responded, unsure as to how to proceed with this conversation. "The truth is…my parents get lost as much as I do."

"What?! Really?" Akane was unable to conceal her astonishment. "So…even if you were to go home…there wouldn't be anybody there waiting for you?"

"Well, we do have a dog. Her name is Checkers," Ryoga told Akane. "Our neighbors take care of her whenever we're not around…which is a lot." Frowning thoughtfully, Ryoga continued, "Come to think of it, she should be having her puppies soon."

"Puppies? You mean she's pregnant?" Akane asked, once more taken by surprise.

Ryoga nodded to this, and then an idea popped into his head. "Hey, Akane, you seem to like animals a lot. Why don't we…go to my place some time? See how Checkers is doing?"

"Really? That'd be great!" Akane enthused, smiling brightly as Ryoga felt his head going floaty.

_She's so pretty, and so nice…_ Ryoga found himself thinking. And then anger started gnawing at his gut. _And to think that her father wants to see her married to that jerk Ranma! Is there no justice in this world?!_

As for Akane, she noticed the anger in Ryoga's face. _It must be so hard, never being able to see your family, to get lost so easily,_ she thought. Then an idea occurred to her. _Wait a minute…if they all get lost, then maybe…could it be genetic? Something medical? Something that makes it more difficult for them to find their way?_ The more Akane thought about it, the more likely it seemed. With some effort, she remembered seeing some article about people with various forms of disabilities that made it difficult for them to read or speak. Couldn't be there one that made it difficult for someone to find his or her way around?

_Most of the trouble Ryoga gets into is because he's always getting lost. This mess with his curse wouldn't have happened if he'd been able to find his way to that duel,_ Akane realized. _So maybe, if it _is_something medical that's wrong with him, then maybe Dr. Tofu would know about it! And even if he couldn't do something himself, he could recommend someone who could!_

As this chain of thought ran its course, Akane smiled broadly. "Come on, Ryoga, cheer up!" she smiled, moving in close to plant a small kiss on his cheek. Gasping in surprise, Ryoga turned to Akane and blushed fiercely.

"A-Akane…" he stammered, making Akane laugh. With that, her decision was made; somehow, tomorrow, she'd get him over to Dr. Tofu's place and have him checked out from top to bottom. Maybe the doctor would find some way to help Ryoga!

Laughing even more, Akane took Ryoga's hand in her own. "Hey, are you hungry? Why don't we stop and grab a burger or something?"

"H-huh?" Ryoga stammered, stunned at the gentle warmth of Akane's skin against his own. Then he realized that Akane was expecting some kind of answer from him. "O-oh, yeah, right! That…sounds good, yeah…"

"Well, alright then!" Akane smiled, and with Ryoga's hand in her own, she led him towards the nearest burger place.

What neither of them realized was that somebody was watching them.

* * *

_Akane Tendo…Pigtailed Girl…_ _Akane Tendo…Pigtailed Girl…_ Tatewaki Kuno thought as he made his way along the streets of the Nerima Ward. His meditations in the Kendo Club had done nothing to resolve this insoluble quandary of his. How could he choose between two immensely desirable women of incomparable beauty? No matter how he pondered the matter, he could only arrive at one conclusion; he just had to have them both!

Still, there were many complications involved, most notably the foul villain Ranma Saotome, who stood between Kuno and his two fair maids. Also, there were rumors of a powerful stranger in Nerima, one who had very nearly smote the vile Ranma before Kuno could do so himself.

Kuno gave a mental snort at this thought. Such temerity as this stranger showed was unforgivable! Only the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High would have the honor and pleasure of disposing of Ranma Saotome! If Kuno ever encountered this strange warrior himself, then there would certainly be a reckoning!

It was thoughts such as these that had driven Kuno from the Kendo Club's dojo. Perhaps a walk and some fresh air would do him some good, clear his thoughts, allow him to focus on what needed to be done.

Instead, minutes into his thoughtful stroll, Kuno caught sight of Akane Tendo, walking alongside none other than the ultimate source of his ire. Though he was some distance away from the two of them, Kuno was certain it was Ranma; the dark hair and Chinese clothes were all the Blue Thunder needed to make that determination.

Of greater importance to Kuno was the way Akane was acting. Though he couldn't make out her words, he could tell from the tone of her voice that she was being very pleasant towards the scoundrel who dared to set his sights on her.

Then the unthinkable happened. Akane simply leaned over towards Ranma…and kissed him!

Aghast at the horror of what he was seeing, Kuno could only stand there while Akane took Ranma's hand in her own, shortly afterwards the two of them ran off together!

Blinking several times in disbelief, Kuno tried to process the situation. Clearly, Akane would never willingly lower herself to kiss a foul cur such as Ranma! Clearly, the evil Saotome had somehow bewitched his love, forcing himself upon her!

"Never fear, Akane Tendo!" Kuno spoke, holding up his bokuto and readying himself for battle. "I, Tatewaki Kuno, shall save you from that villain!"

* * *

Ryoga could never have imagined being so happy. Here he was, hand-in-hand with a beautiful girl, a girl who didn't care about the horrendous curse he bore, and the two of them were dashing off for an early lunch together. For a time, all thoughts of Ranma and his difficulties were forgotten as Ryoga was swept away by the moment.

"Hold, Ranma Saotome!" a voice from behind cried out, snapping Ryoga out of his good mood. "I, Tatewaki Kuno, now challenge you!"

"What the -?" Akane got out as Ryoga looked about, trying to spot his rival. At the last minute, a buzzing at the back of his mind alerted him to danger. With a quick hop, Ryoga evaded the overhead swipe of a wooden sword!

"Who are you?!" Ryoga snarled as he faced his opponent, a boy a year or so his senior with dark, curly hair, dressed in a kimono. Automatically, Ryoga reached for his umbrella…only to remember that he'd lost it at the Tendo Dojo! Everything else, his own clothes and weapons, were all stowed in his backpack!

As for Kuno, he was blinking in surprise, for the person facing him was most definitely _not_ Ranma! "And who might you be? Answer me, you cretin!"

"Hey, watch it!" Ryoga growled, taking a battle-ready stance.

"Wait a minute, Ryoga!" Akane protested. As the lost boy shot her a questioning look, Akane turned her attention to his would-be assailant. "Kuno, what are you doing? Ranma's not here!"

"I can see that," Kuno replied evenly, studying Ryoga as if he were something completely beneath him. "But who is he, and why is he disguised as that coward Saotome?"

"Hey! I'm not in disguise! And why would I disguise myself as him, anyway?!" Ryoga snarled, preparing to charge, only to be halted by Akane's outstretched arm.

"His name's Ryoga, and he's going to be staying with us!" Akane explained hurriedly, hoping to defuse things before they got even worse. "His own clothes are all soaked, so we loaned him some of Ranma's things, okay?!"

"What? Another interloper, living in the same house as my darling Akane?!" Kuno barked with righteous indignity. "How dare you!"

"Kuno, please…!" Akane gritted in frustration.

"Don't worry, Akane! If samurai boy here wants a fight, then he's got one!" Ryoga declared, shedding his backpack before tossing it aside. Akane blinked in amazement as it landed with a substantial thunk, and she once again remembered just how much weight Ryoga carried with him.

"So, you think yourself a match for Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High?" Kuno smirked superiorly. "I shall gladly teach you the error of your ways! _En garde!_" Kuno instantly swung his bokuto again, but the wooden blade didn't even come close to Ryoga. The lost boy had shot straight up, leaving Kuno to attack nothing but thin air!

Moving with incredible speed and assurance, Ryoga grabbed three of his bandanas. With that idiot Kuno so close to Akane, the chance of her being hurt was incredibly high, which mean that Ryoga would have to deal with him quickly! Twirling the bandanas about in his hand until they reached the necessary speed, Ryoga then flung them with deadly accuracy. Kuno quickly tried to block them with his bokuto, but the lead bandana sliced neatly through the wooden blade, leaving Kuno holding only the hilt of his weapon! The second bandana shot lower, neatly slicing through Kuno's belt. As his pants fall to the ground, exposing the Blue Thunder's hairy legs to the world in all their appalling glory, the third and final bandana sliced its way along Kuno's scalp, shaving him bald except for two tufts of hair above his ears and a patch just above his neck!

"M-my sword! M-m-my _hair!!_" Kuno screeched, staring at his sword in horror while he felt at the damage to his head with his left hand. So distracted by the damage done by the bandanas, Kuno never even looked up to Ryoga falling down upon him, fist-first. Lashing out at full power, Ryoga plowed his fist into Kuno's head, resulting in the Blue Thunder shaking like jelly before unconsciousness claimed him.

Watching as Furinkan High's biggest moron collapsed onto his back, Akane could only stare in awe. "Wow…" she gaped.

Smiling as he examined his handiwork, Ryoga's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Huh? What's that?"

"What is it, Ryoga?" Akane asked as she went over to him.

"It looks like there's something tattooed on his head," Ryoga stated, pointing at the prone swordsman.

"Oh, you're right!" Akane gaped as she examined Kuno's head. "That's strange! It looks like a map!"

"A map of what?" Ryoga wondered as he scrutinized the markings.

"You got me. It's kinda weird, though," Akane noted. Then she gave up on the matter. Life was weird enough as it was. No need to add to it. "Come on, let's go grab a burger before something else happens!"

Blushing as Akane once again took his hand, Ryoga managed to get out, "Huh? O-oh, right!" And with that two of them were off.

* * *

Author's Notes: Okay, its pop quiz time! Kuno has a map tattooed on the back of his head! The question is, what is it a map of? Those of you who've read the manga will probably already know the answer. As for the rest of you…well, I'll tell you all next time.

Now, I have to figure Ryoga wears weighted clothes because of the three-legged race that happened in the manga. At the end, everybody was stuck wearing these ultra-heavy kimonos that were lined with chains, and sandals made of steel. Yet, while Ranma is barely able to move, Ryoga is able to bound about without any difficulty, at one point supporting the weight of himself, Ukyo, Ranma, and Akane, all at once! That tells me that Ryoga has a lot more strength and endurance than his rival!

Everybody, thank you all for the reviews! It makes me very happy to see what you all think of my work!

Now, Draform, while I realize that Ryoga was making moves on an engaged Akane, the fact is that most of the time, he just showers her in presents. The dates he's gone on with her were actually arranged by Ukyo and Shampoo, as part of plans of their own! Every time Ryoga tried to speak to Akane, he'd get all shy and panic! As for the Breaking Point fight, while it's true that Ryoga didn't doing anything about Akane being tied up, I didn't notice Ranma protesting it, either.

162eRI, I'll be honest with you; I hated the fishing rod fiasco! It was easily the worst of the "Let's humiliate Ryoga for a few laughs!" storylines, and I've been trying to forget it ever happened!

Another thing mentioned against Ryoga is the fight in which Akane's hair gets sliced off by Ryoga's razor-belt. But let's take a moment to analyze that scene, shall we? Akane slaps Ranma after the two of them are knocked of the tree by Ryoga before turning around to walk away. Ranma starts after her while Ryoga attacks Ranma from behind with the razor-belt. Ranma then _kicks the razor-belt into the air,_ where it twirls about for a bit before coming down and giving Akane that infamous haircut! Does that mean that Ryoga is completely innocent in the matter? No, of course not. Would Akane have been any less dead if the razor-belt had come down straight on her head? I doubt it. All I'm saying is that it was an accident. Nothing more, nothing less.

Evil Kasumi, you've made some good points, but you forgot to mention that whenever P-chan is snuggled into Akane's breasts, he starts blushing! Remember the nosebleed (snoutbleed?) he suffered in "Assault on the Girls' Locker Room"? Also, while it's true that it's not exactly proper for P-chan to be snoozing on Akane's bed, even if it's on her pillow, don't forget that he pays a price every time he does that! As we see in "Ryoga's Tendo Dojo Houseguest Diary", Akane is anything but a quiet sleeper!

Finally, Ranma's vow to keep Ryoga's secret _definitely _doesn't count, because after Akane brings P-chan into her bed for the first time, Ranma breaks in to take him out. When Akane wakes up and the two start fighting, Ranma tries to tell her that the pig is Ryoga! Yes, I know Ranma protects Ryoga's secret later in the series, but he also uses it to humiliate Ryoga, catching him in awkward positions with it, letting Ryoga know under no uncertain terms that Ranma could expose him at any time he wants. Though I must admit, Ranma is much less of a jerk to Ryoga in the fourth season, after the lost boy helps him during the time Ranma's afflicted with the Ultimate-Weakness Moxibustion.

Please, read and review! And check out my other stories, please!


	4. Ryoga's Perscription

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 4: Ryoga's Prescription

"We're back!" Akane called out as she led Ryoga up to the Tendo Dojo.

"Oh, hello, Akane!" Kasumi said as she came to the door to greet them. "Whatever kept you two? And where's Ranma?"

"We ran into a little trouble," Akane stated before giving her sister a summarized version of everything that had happened.

"Oh, my," Kasumi murmured, a tinge of concern in her eyes. "I hope Ranma's alright."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Akane responded while Ryoga gave a light snort. "Anyway, we got Ryoga's clothes and backpack."

"That's good," Kasumi answered, every bit the gentle homemaker as she went up to Ryoga. "Here, why don't I put your things in the laundry? They must be soaked and dirty from being out in the rain all night."

"Uh, thank you, but…I think I'd better take care of them myself," Ryoga replied, taking a tighter hold of his backpack.

"It's no trouble, really!" Kasumi insisted, never once losing her smile.

"Actually, why don't I do it?" Akane answered, the image of her sister breaking her back beneath the enormous weight of Ryoga's clothes flashing through her mind. "Besides, his stuff is kind of heavy."

"Are you sure, Akane?" Kasumi asked, surprised by her sister's offer. Akane _never_ helped with the household chores if she could get away with it. She spent most of her free time at home in the dojo!

"I think it would be a good idea," Akane admitted, and with a little more persuasion, they went to the laundry room.

Fortunately, Ryoga knew exactly how to extract the heavy chain mail from his clothing, and soon the metal mesh was lying in a pile in the corner of the laundry room. As for Akane, though she didn't like doing the laundry, she still knew how to load the washer and how much detergent to use. Between the two of them, it wasn't long before Ryoga's clothes were tumbling about in the wash.

"Well, that takes care of that," Akane smiled, slapping her hands together in the manner of a job well done. "Say, Ryoga, while we're waiting, why don't we go train in the dojo for a bit?"

Ryoga's eyes ballooned in surprise at this. "What? Really?"

"Why not?" Akane responded, smiling warmly at the lost boy. He was so obviously shy; it was actually rather cute. "It'll be awhile before your clothes are ready, and besides, I could use a little exercise!"

"But…Akane…" Ryoga fumbled, blushing lightly as he spoke.

"What is it?" Akane asked, a hint of annoyance in her tone. "Don't tell you're against fighting girls, too?"

"Well…it's just that…what if I hurt you?" Ryoga asked, lowering his eyes to the floor as he twiddled his forefingers.

Looking at him, Akane smiled again, realizing that Ryoga was just showing concern for her safety. "Don't worry; it's not like we'll be going at it at full strength, right?" Akane asked, taking Ryoga's hand in her own. Then, with an even bigger smile, she teased, "C'mon, if it makes you feel better, I _promise_ not to hurt _you_. Okay?"

"Oh…well, alright. As long as…you're sure, Akane," Ryoga responded nervously.

* * *

Akane and Ryoga spent the next hour or so sparring in the dojo. After promising Ryoga that she would tell him if he was coming at her too hard, the two began. As they fought, Akane could easily tell that Ryoga wasn't coming at her with anything remotely _close_ to his full power, but at least he was throwing some punches and kicks in her direction. This was a lot more than what she would get from Ranma!

"Whew! That was a good workout!" Akane sighed as she mopped her forehead with a towel. "Thanks, Ryoga!"

"Oh, you're welcome," Ryoga smiled, finally seeming to loosen up a bit. "You…uh, you're…pretty good yourself…"

"Thanks," Akane responded laughingly. Then a thoughtful expression appeared on her face. "Say, Ryoga…do you really wear that chain mail all the time?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Ryoga responded quizzically. "Why do you ask?"

"Well…do you think that would help me get stronger? Wearing weights like that?" Akane wondered. When Ryoga didn't respond at first, Akane pressed on. "It's just that…all I've ever really wanted to be was a martial artist, to be strong. So…do you think that would help me?"

Ryoga was really uncomfortable now. The truth was, aside from what little time he'd spent with his father, he was mostly self-taught as a fighter, and had been basically making things up as he went along! "Well…I guess so," Ryoga spoke slowly, remembering when his father had started him out on the weights. "But you should start out with small stuff, like wrist and ankle bands."

"Okay!" Akane smiled. "Why don't we go shopping for them tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Ryoga replied blankly at the concept of a 'we' doing the shopping. "You mean…you want me to come along?"

"Of course! Who better to help me find the right size weights then you?" Akane smiled as her plan came together. _This is perfect! I can get Ryoga to Dr. Tofu's place tomorrow and get him checked out! Maybe we can find a way to help with Ryoga's sense of direction!_

* * *

Ranma and Genma arrived in time for lunch that afternoon, and the rest of the day passed more-or-less without incident. The only real problem occurred when Ryoga tried to go to the bathroom just before dinner, only to somehow wind up on the roof, much to his humiliation and Ranma's amusement.

Eventually, most of the inhabitants of the Tendo Training Hall settled down for the night…except for two. Genma and Soun were sitting cross-legged just outside the dining room, looking over the garden.

"Saotome, you were at the clinic at the same time Akane and the boys were there, weren't you?" Soun started, an edge of concern in his voice. When Genma just gave deep-throated sound of confirmation, Soun pressed on. "Tell me, how did Akane act towards Ryoga. Was there anything…unusual about her behavior?"

"Not that I noticed," Genma responded. "But Ryoga…he _was_ looking at Akane. If you know what I mean."

"Hmm, I was afraid that might be the case," Soun answered, furrowing his brows as he spoke. "At breakfast today, Akane was being very protective of Ryoga. And after the two of them got back, Akane helped him do his laundry, and spent some time in the dojo before you and Ranma got back." While Genma looked at his old friend and training partner, Soun dropped the bomb on him. "Also, Kasumi overheard Akane saying that she planned on going shopping with Ryoga tomorrow."

"I see," Genma responded, not liking the way this was looking. "You don't suppose…?"

"I'm saying that we should probably keep an eye on Ryoga for a while," Soun explained. "He seems honest enough, if a little thickheaded. But if he gets any ideas…"

"And let's not forget about Akane," Genma agreed. "If she gets too involved with that boy, it could mean trouble."

"Exactly," Soun agreed. "We'd better keep an eye on those while they're out tomorrow."

Genma thought about that for a moment, and frowned. Sometimes, Ranma disobeyed Genma just to spite him, and there were times when Akane seemed to have that same stubbornness in her. "Wait, Tendo. If we start spying on them, it might make things worse. Besides, I _do_ have my job at the clinic, remember?"

"So what are you saying?" Soun demanded.

"I'm saying, why not have Ranma keep an eye on things?" Genma countered. "Think about it; this might be the perfect opportunity! If Ranma starts getting jealous of Ryoga…"

As Soun thought this through, his eyes lit up in joy. "Ah, how clever of you, Saotome! A little competition to help nudge Ranma in the right direction! Make him more serious about wooing my Akane!"

"Exactly!" Genma smirked triumphantly. "Nothing like some male jealousy to get the old juices flowing, huh, Tendo, my boy?" The two of them spent some time chuckling over their devious scheme, downing a few glasses of saké before finally turning in for the night.

* * *

The next day started off more or less in the traditional manner, with Ranma and his father going through another sparring session that resulted in a girl and a panda in need of a teakettle. Ryoga decided to do some practicing in the dojo, well away from the pond, while Akane went for her morning jog before everyone settled down for relatively quiet breakfast.

"You finished, Ryoga?" Akane asked as the lost boy set down his emptied bowl, an extremely content expression on his face. When he nodded in response, Akane smiled. "Good! So, are you ready to go shopping?"

"Shopping?" Ranma repeated querulously.

"You mean…right now?" Ryoga asked in surprise.

"Well, why not?" Akane wondered. "Besides, I want to get started before the stores get too crowded."

"Um, okay. Sure!" Ryoga responded. "Just let me get my backpack and umbrella."

"Here, I'll help you!" Akane smiled as Ranma just stared at her, with Soun and Genma watching carefully.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Ranma protested, looking floored at this development. "What's the big deal? Why do you need Ryoga to go shopping?!"

"I've decided to get some new weights for training, and I need Ryoga's help to find the right kind to start out with," Akane explained.

"Well, in that case, Akane, why not take Ranma with you as well?" Soun asked as he looked up from his newspaper.

Akane narrowed her eyes as she looked at her father. "Excuse me?"

As for Ranma, he wore an irritated expression as he asked. "Hey, why would I want to hang out with a tomboy like her?"

"Hey, watch it, Ranma!!" Ryoga growled in response, shooting a glare of death in his rival's direction.

"Don't worry about it, Ryoga!" Akane snorted. "Besides, I don't need a pervert like him around. Not when I have you." Though Ryoga was still staring angrily at Ranma, he allowed Akane to drag him away from the table, leaving the pigtailed martial artist to fume.

A few minutes later, Akane and Ryoga were out the door.

Ranma wasn't long in following them.

* * *

For the next hour, Ranma discretely followed Akane and Ryoga from a distance, watching them look through the various sporting goods stores, feeling a burning sensation growing in his gut as Akane continued to lead Ryoga around by the hand.

Finally, after the two of them exited this one store, he heard Akane asking, "Are you sure about this, Ryoga? I mean…just five pounds for the wrist bands and ten pounds for the legs bands? I can handle a lot more than just that!"

"I'm sure you can, Akane," Ryoga replied earnestly. "But my dad started me off small, too. He told me it was best because you're going to be wearing those weights all day, including when you're working out. It'll take a little while to get used to the extra weight."

"I guess so," Akane admitted. "Hey, Ryoga, would you mind if we stopped by Dr. Tofu's clinic for a bit? I'd like to pay a visit to that little kitten we found yesterday."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, sure," Ryoga sputtered somewhat. Taking a moment to thank the lost boy, Akane continued to lead him along in the general direction of the clinic. Ranma just smiled. The clinic would be the perfect place for him to 'accidentally' bump into the two of them. He even had a legitimate excuse for it as well! All he had to do was beat the two of them there, and with Akane dragging Ryoga around like an anchor, it would be a snap!

Effortlessly bounding about the various rooftops, Ranma had arrived at the clinic within minutes to find his father the panda sweeping in front of the clinic. "Yo, Pops!" Ranma called out to him, his father giving a quick wave of his paw in return. Then the gender-bending martial artist paused, a flash of concern crossing his face. "Um…you wouldn't know where Dr. Tofu keeps that…cat Akane gave him?"

Guttural noises escaping his throat, Genma held up a sign saying, 'It's in his apartment, not the clinic, stupid!'

"Who're you calling stupid, old man?" Ranma retorted, somewhat reassured that he wouldn't have to deal with anything feline. "I was just…wondering that's all."

As mirthful sounds of disbelief escaped Genma's mouth, Ranma prepared to say something more cutting, but that was when Akane and Ryoga arrived. "Ranma? What are you doing here?" Akane wondered as a scowl erupted on Ryoga's face. "Don't tell me you've been following us around all day?!"

"Hey, don't flatter yourself!" Ranma retorted. "I just came to see Dr. Tofu, that's all."

"I see," Akane replied a little more softly. "Is your neck bothering you again?"

While Ryoga was scowling even more and Genma was congratulating himself on just how perfectly things were working, Dr. Tofu came out of the clinic and survey the crowd situated on his doorstep. "Well, hello everybody!" the doctor smiled.

"Dr. Tofu!" Akane smiled happily. "How're you doing? If the kitten doing okay?"

"Oh, you mean Yuki?" Dr. Tofu responded. When Akane looked at him blankly, the doctor smiled warmly. "That's the name I gave the kitten. Do you like it?"

"It's perfect!" Akane responded immediately, smiling brightly as she did. "So where is she?"

"Why, she's in my apartment, of course. I can't keep her in the clinic, after all," Dr. Tofu replied easily. "Would you like to see her?"

Akane's first impulse was to say yes, but then she realized that she was at an impasse. The real reason she had come there with Ryoga was to get some advice from Dr. Tofu regarding the lost boy's problem, to see if the doctor might know of anything that could help. But she honestly didn't know how to go about it. Somehow, just asking the doctor to check Ryoga out and see what was wrong with him really didn't seem like a good idea!

Fortunately, her problem was solved for her. "Hey, Ryoga, while you're here, why don't have the doc have a look at your head?" Ranma baited with a smirk. A smirk that Akane didn't like.

"Oh? Did Ryoga injure himself?" Dr. Tofu asked while Ryoga grew more irritated.

"Nah, I was just thinking you could figure out why he's getting lost all of the time!" Ranma grinned at the doctor. "Last night, he wound up on the roof just trying to go to the bathroom!"

"Ranma!!" Akane shouted, while Ryoga was drawing his umbrella, a snarl on his face.

"What? Are you serious?" Dr. Tofu asked while Akane urged the lost boy to remain calm.

"Totally, doc," Ranma continued, seemingly intent on making Ryoga blow his top. "Back when we were in school together, he needed help just finding his way back home again!"

"Shut up!!" Ryoga exploded, surging past Akane with the intent of introducing his umbrella to his rival's head.

Ranma just grinned as he dodged the mindless assault. All he needed to do now was lead Ryoga away and ditch him, and that would be that! The pig wouldn't have a prayer of making it back to the Tendo Dojo within a week!

However, just as Ryoga was getting really worked up, Dr. Tofu quickly got in front of the lost boy. "Now wait a minute, Ryoga!" When Ryoga just looked at him in confusion, the doctor continued. "Is this true? What Ranma said?"

"So what if it is?" Ryoga snapped back.

Dr. Tofu seemed to consider the matter for a few seconds before responding. "Would you come into the clinic, please?" he said, gesturing towards the doorway. "I'd like to have a look at you."

Ryoga just stood there blinking for a few moments before Akane came up beside him. "Sure! Why not?" she stated, taking Ryoga by the arm.

"Hey!" Ranma spoke up, completely shocked by this development. "What are you doing?"

"Going into the clinic, what's it look like?" Akane retorted. Ryoga looked ready to start chasing his rival again, but Akane squeezing his arm tightly with her own was sufficient to dissuade as she led Ryoga inside the clinic. Dr. Tofu wasn't long in following, and Ranma, after a few seconds of staring after the two of them, followed, with his father not far behind.

* * *

For the better part of an hour, Dr. Tofu examined Ryoga, and talked with him, discussing his directional inabilities, as well as asking a variety of questions. Finally, as he took a sip of some tea Genma served him, Dr. Tofu spoke. "Hmm, I'm not an expert in neurology, Ryoga," the doctor confessed as Ryoga looked at the doctor intently. "But from everything you've told me, it sounds like the cause of your problem is a form of autistic limitation."

"Huh? Autistic limitation?" Akane repeated in surprise while the others present just looked on.

"I think so, but I can't be certain," Dr. Tofu admitted. "I'm not a specialist in neurology, but I do read a lot of books and papers on various medical conditions."

"So what makes you think that's what's wrong with me?" Ryoga asked almost fearfully.

"Well, there are a few things, like the fact that your entire family has the same condition," Dr. Tofu explained, frowning as he spoke. "Still, I'm basically guessing here. A trained neurologist would be able to tell you a lot more than I could."

"And where the heck do we find one of those?" Ranma wondered.

"Dr. Tofu, isn't there something you can do to help?" Akane asked plaintively. "Someone you can recommend?"

"Akane, it's okay," Ryoga spoke, looking at her with a saddened air.

"But Ryoga…!" Akane protested as he stood and prepared to leave.

"I've already been enough trouble for you, and besides, a doctor like that would have to be very expensive. There's no way I could afford something like that," Ryoga responded, giving her a weak smile. "At least now I have an idea why I'm constantly getting lost."

"Now, hold on, Ryoga," Dr. Tofu spoke, standing up and approaching Ryoga. "Actually, there might be something I can do to help."

"Whoa! Really?!" Ranma exclaimed with his eyes wide.

"A-are you serious?!" Ryoga burst disbelievingly.

"Really, Dr. Tofu?" Akane asked.

"It's possible, though I…can't make any guarantees," Dr. Tofu responded as he went over to his bookshelves. Muttering softly to himself, he went from book to book before finally grabbing one of the tomes. "Aha! Here it is!"

"What is it, Doc?" Ranma wondered as Dr. Tofu displayed the tome.

"This book contains the ingredients of a wide variety of Chinese herbal shampoos," Dr. Tofu explained with a smile.

"Shampoos?" Akane repeated in confusion.

"Yes, but these aren't any ordinary shampoos," Dr. countered, opening the book and showing the pages to the others. As everybody leaned forward to look at the pages, he continued. "These shampoos contain special combinations of Chinese herbs and extracts, and when combined with shiatsu techniques to the skull, they can be used to precisely stimulate the brain in certain ways."

"Seriously?!" Ryoga gaped, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Yes. For example, there's a formula for erasing memory, as well as for restoring it," Dr. Tofu explained as he ran his finger down the book. "The formula we want is Formula 115, which is used to help improve mental focus, as well as a person's sense of direction."

"Then all you have to do is whip up a batch of this stuff and you can cure Ryoga?!" Ranma asked skeptically.

"This isn't a cure, Ranma. I'm not even sure just how effective this shampoo will be," Dr. Tofu admitted. "Still, Ryoga, I do think it will help improve these things. If you're willing to try it, I'd be happy to make a batch of this shampoo."

"Um, okay!" Ryoga replied with growing enthusiasm. To be freed of his wretched sense of direction was like a dream come true! For a moment, the idea of such shampoo seemed impossible, but then he remembered that he once would have thought the same of cursed water that turns people into pigs.

"Alright then. Just remember; this isn't a cure, so don't expect your problems to just disappear. You're still going to have to work at it a bit," Dr. Tofu explained. "That's why I'm also going to write up a series of mental exercises for you to do. Sort of a training regimen for the mind, to help you use landmarks and other geographical indicators to help find your way. I'll want you to practice these things daily, okay?"

"Oh, Dr. Tofu, you're the best!" Akane gushed, hands clasped together. "So how long until you have shampoo ready?"

"Well, I'll need to get the necessary ingredients…about a day or so, I guess," the doctor responded. "Tell you what; I'll call you as soon as the shampoo is ready, okay?"

"I guess you'd better stick close to the dojo," Ranma smiled. "Otherwise, you might not even get that call!"

Ryoga shot Ranma a dirty look, but that was the extent of his ire. To be finally be able to find his way without getting lost, without relying on someone to show him the way…to think that it might actually become a reality! _Oh, Akane! Thank you! Thank you for bringing me here!_ he thought, even as he saw Akane smiling brilliantly at him, and felt his knees go weak.

As for Ranma, he noticed the smile Akane gave him, and scowled, getting more and more irritated every time the tomboy smiled at the pig.

Watching carefully, Genma saw the blatant jealously on his son's face, and smiled inwardly. All that was needed now was to fan the flames a little, and soon his son's marriage and his own retirement would be secured…

* * *

Author's Notes: In Chapter 3, we saw that Kuno has a map tattooed on his head. It's a map to the coconut that Principal Kuno hid that had his 'Get Out of School Rules Free' pass. Personally, I think that moron should make better use of his free time.

The possibility of Ryoga having an autistic limitation was mentioned in the Wikipedia, which I researched in order to make sure I got all the details right. That's where I got the idea for the treatment Dr. Tofu prescribed for Ryoga. I hope I don't wind up offending anybody in the process; trust me, I know how difficult such conditions can make a person's life, and it is not my intention to poke fun at anybody who has any form of disability.

By the way, does anybody know if Rumiko Takahashi is a Spider-Man fan? I ask this because, over the course of both Ranma ½ and InuYasha, I've often seen various characters making the hand gesture Spidey makes when firing his webbing! This often happens when they're surprised, startled, or suddenly injured. It maybe a coincidence, but still…

Until then, I hope you enjoy! Please, read and review! And if you like, check out my other stories as well!


	5. Flowering Chaos

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 5: Flowering Chaos

"Okay, Ryoga, now which way do we go?" Akane asked.

"Umm…let's see…" Ryoga spoke slowly, examining his surroundings, trying to remember everything he'd been studying lately. "We're supposed to go to the right…right?"

"That's right!" Akane confirmed, at which point Ryoga felt weak on his knees with relief. "Come on! Let's keep going! You're doing great!"

"Okay," the lost boy answered, though he no longer really felt lost. Over a week had passed since he'd gone to Dr. Tofu's for the treatment. He remembered very clearly leaning over the sink in the office while the doctor applied the shampoo, but the instant he felt pressure applied to his scalp, he felt his brain explode with light before he blacked out. He had only been out for a couple minutes, but when Ryoga finally came to, everything felt different.

After Dr. Tofu had given Ryoga the list of mental exercises that he was to do, Akane and Ranma had led him back home. But even as they were walking home, Ryoga felt more aware of his surroundings, more capable of analyzing what was around him.

During the last week, Ryoga had practiced using landmarks to help him find his way, as well as several other things, and each day he felt more confident. It had gotten to the point where he was able to make the trip from the Tendo Dojo to Dr. Tofu's with only one or two false turns, and even then, Ryoga quickly realized where he had made a mistake and was able to get back on course. For a person who had never been able to find his way anywhere in anything less than days, it was a miracle.

He had also spent a lot of time sparring with Ranma, which was irritating. He had somehow managed to be less of a jerk, but his favorite tactic for dealing with someone in a fight was still to run away, dodging at every opportunity. He did it with Ryoga, who had watched in anger as he did the same with Akane.

Ryoga ached to give Ranma exactly what he deserved, to pound the perverted jerk right into the ground. But several things stopped him. One was the fact that he was now a guest of the Tendo's the same as Ranma, and was being encouraged to try and keep things peaceful. He couldn't break that truce, not after everything they had done for him. He just had to wait until Ranma made the first move in that regard.

Another thing was Ryoga's observations of Ranma's relationship with his father, Genma. Several times during this week, Genma had snatched up some portion of Ranma's food and eaten it, claiming that he was doing his son a favor by making sure that he didn't indulge too much. Ryoga thought that Genma should take his own advice. Though Ryoga had never been able to spend much time with his own father, he couldn't imagine his father doing anything to him like what Genma routinely pulled on Ranma. It was no wonder Ranma had ended up the way he had, with his father teaching by example every sneaky trick he knew.

Last but not least of these things…was Akane. She had been with him every step of the way, helping with the exercises Dr. Tofu had given him, sparring with him in the dojo, and sometimes just talking with him, erasing so much of the loneliness that had hounded him over the course of his life. Despite everything, from all the trouble he had brought into her life from the horrendous curse he now bore, she found it in her heart to care for him, and Ryoga knew, beyond any possible doubt…that he was in love with her.

_And her father decided to have her engaged to __**Ranma**__,_ Ryoga thought disgustedly for the umpteenth time. _It's not fair! I know Akane doesn't like him! Why she should have to marry _him,_ just to carry on the dojo?! _Once again, Ryoga felt anger. Akane's own father was determined to see her married off to Ranma, a marriage that she didn't want and he didn't deserve! _I've got to find a way to get rid of Ranma and break off this engagement! Then maybe…maybe Akane…_

"Ryoga? What is it?" Akane asked, breaking into his chain of thought and causing his face to burn red. "Is something wrong?"

"What? N-no! It's nothing! Really!" Ryoga answered nervously.

"Are you sure? Because your face is all red," Akane noted.

"It's nothing, Akane," Ryoga managed to get out. "I was just thinking…maybe we should go by my house sometime."

"So we can check on your dog? See if she's had her puppies yet?" Akane asked.

"Well, yeah, but I also want to leave a message for my parents," Ryoga answered. "I want to let them know where I am, so they can call me at the dojo. If the shampoo Dr. Tofu used worked on me, then maybe it'll work on them as well."

"I see," Akane responded with a look of concern. "It must be hard, not being able to spend much time with them. You must miss them."

"Yeah," Ryoga spoke thoughtfully. "I'm kinda used to being on my own, but still…"

"I know what you mean," Akane replied sadly. "My mother died a while ago. Don't get me wrong, Dad and Kasumi have been really great and all, but…"

"I'm sorry," Ryoga murmured sadly. "If…you ever want to talk about it."

With that, the sadness fled from Akane's face as she smiled. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."

A few minutes later, the two of them arrived at the Tendo Dojo, where they received a surprise. Ranma was standing by the front door in his girl-form, with three girls in gymnastics uniforms. The girls were covered with bandages, and all wore gloomy expressions.

"What the -?!" Akane spat as she stared at the girls in shock.

"Hey, Akane," Ranma started, looking a somewhat out of her element.

"Ranma! What happened?!" Akane demanded, but before she could get an answer, the three girls looked at her before shooting to their feet and rushing up to her.

"Akane, please! We need your help!" one of the girls pleaded, all three of their faces conveying their desperation.

* * *

A short while later, Ryoga, Akane, and Ranma were inside Akane's room, looking at the three girls as they told their story around their sobs.

"I don't believe this! You mean the entire gymnastics team!?" Akane exclaimed once the girls were done.

"That coward Kodachi jumped us in the middle of the night!" one of the girls explained.

"Kodachi? You mean that girl that was beating up on you three?" Ranma asked as she touched her toes while sitting on Akane's bed.

"That's right!" the second girl answered. "She wanted to make sure that we wouldn't be able to fight!"

"Then she's a coward," Ryoga snorted bitterly. "Jumping somebody while they're asleep…how pathetic."

"Takes one to know one, doesn't it?" Ranma sniped, her eyes narrowed at Ryoga.

"Hey! I was just trying to wake you up!" Ryoga countered. "It's not my fault that you'd sleep through a bomb going off!"

"Knock it off, you two!" Akane growled, the glare she shot at the two of them enough to stop them in their verbal tracks. Once satisfied that they wouldn't be interrupting her again, Akane returned her attention to the gymnasts. "Listen, I'm sorry about what happened, but I still don't get what you want me to do about it."

"Akane, please!" the third girl pleaded. "We need somebody to take our place in the tournament, or we'll have to forfeit!"

"What? Me?" Akane asked, pointing at herself. "You want _me_ to take your place in the tournament?"

"Please, we're begging you, Akane!" the first girl pleaded. "We've asked everybody we could think of! Please!"

"It's our most important event!" the second girl agreed.

"Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics!" the third concluded.

"Martial-Arts Rhythmic what?" Ranma asked blankly.

"It's a kind of martial-arts competition," Ryoga explained. "The only thing is, you can't use hand-to-hand combat. The only things you're allowed to use are tools used in rhythmic gymnastics."

"That's right! And it's our gymnastics team versus St. Hebereke High School!" the second girl exclaimed.

"Please, Akane! We really need your help!" the first girl pleaded.

As Akane looked at the desperate faces before her, her own expression hardened with determination. "I don't know how good I'll be, but I'll try my best!"

At this, the other girls moved even closer to Akane, babbling their gratitude. As for Ryoga, he just stood their smiling. _She's so nice, standing up for them…_ Ryoga then moved closer to Akane, placing his hand upon her shoulder. "Don't worry about a thing, Akane! I'd be glad to help you practice!"

"Really?" Akane smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Ryoga. That's very nice of you."

"Aw, come off it, Ryoga! What would a guy know about Martial-Arts Rhythmic Whatever, anyway?" Ranma asked derisively.

"Hey! My mother is an expert in Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics!" Ryoga declared. "I used to watch her practice all the time, and she taught me a lot about it!"

"Really? Your mother was a gymnast?" Akane asked, looking surprised by this revelation.

"She still is, actually," Ryoga corrected, thinking of the last time he had heard from her. "She loves to compete whenever she gets the chance."

"Your mother…?" the first girl murmured thoughtfully. "Wait a minute! Didn't you say your last name was Hibiki? As in _Koriko_ Hibiki?!"

"Huh?" Ryoga started, staring at the girl in surprise. "How'd you know my mother's name?"

"Omigosh! Then Koriko really _is_ your mother?!" the girl exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.

"What are you talking about?" the second girl asked, with the third looking the most baffled.

"Don't you remember?! We were studying up on all those Rhythmic Gymnastics champions, trying to learn their techniques for the tournament?" the first girl pressed on. "Well, Koriko Hibiki is famous! She's won the Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics national championship five times!"

"What?!" Ranma and Akane burst at the same time, before turning to look at Ryoga.

"That's right! I remember now!" the second girl gasped.

"Wow!" the third added, looking in awe at Ryoga. "And we've got her son to help coach Akane?!"

"A five-time champion, huh?" Ranma smirked, something that almost resembled respect in her face. "Your mom must have some serious skill!"

"That's amazing, Ryoga!" Akane beamed. "Why didn't you tell me about that before?"

"Um, well…" Ryoga fumbled as he blushed, thinking of how little he got to see his own family. "I guess I just didn't think about it."

"Didn't think about it?!" the first girl repeated disbelievingly. "I watched old tournament footage of Koriko! Her Tadai Butoukai Sumasshu(1) was unbelievable!"

"Tadai Butoukai Sumasshu?" Akane wondered.

"Its how Mom won her last tournament," Ryoga explained.

"You should've seen it, Akane!" the third girl smiled. "She used the ball to completely destroy the entire ring with one blow! Then she used the ribbon to grab hold of the rafters while her opponent went flying!"

"Smashing everything in sight just to get at the opposition, huh? I guess that sort of thing runs in the family, huh, Ryoga?" Ranma smirked.

"Hey, shut up!" Ryoga growled, once again feeling the overwhelming urge to grind Ranma into a pulp.

"Say, do you think you can teach Akane how to use the Sumasshu?" the first girl asked, practically thrusting her face into Ryoga's, while the other two soon followed suite.

"That'd be so cool!" the second gushed.

"Yeah, and it'd sure serve that witch Kodachi right!" the third grinned. "The way she ambushed all of us, and says that she's just fighting fair _before_ the match?! I'd _love_ to see the whole ring get blasted out from under her!"

"Um, well…" Ryoga floundered, unable to think in the face of the three girls. And then he looked at Akane, and practically swooned.

"Ryoga, please, teach me everything you know!" Akane asked, her adorable visage eradicating Ryoga's capability for rational thought. "I'm going to need all the help I can get if I'm going to win this match!"

_Oh, Akane…I could never say no to you…_ Ryoga thought helplessly. "Well…there isn't a lot of time, but…I'll do my best to train you."

However, while the girls were celebrating and Ranma scowling, a girl in a green leotard was making her way from the Tendo Dojo. _I better tell Kodachi about this,_ she thought furiously. _This could be really bad…_

* * *

That day, the three of them trained well into the night, until Akane finally collapsed from exhaustion, with limited progress. As Ryoga surveyed the disaster area that the dojo had become, the many tools Akane had ruined, he had to admit to himself that things weren't looking well. Akane was a long way from mastering any of the tools, let alone the special techniques that could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

"Well, I guess that'll do it for today," Ryoga muttered. He knew he had to say something, to point out the problems Akane had to overcome. But when he looked at her face, at how hard she was pushing herself for everybody, he found that he just didn't have the heart for it.

"Give it up, Akane," Ranma snorted, having switched back to his boy-form some hours ago. "You don't stand a chance of winning this thing."

"But…I can't just give up," Akane protested. "The others…they're all depending on me."

"And I say you're crazy," Ranma countered, drawing hateful looks from the other two. "Hey, I've seen that twisted chick in action. Even if you had months to train, you wouldn't have a chance. Besides, as soon as she finds out you've taken those girls' place, she's gonna be coming after you."

Akane mustered up just enough strength to snort. "I'm not scared of her."

"Well, maybe you should be," Ranma sniffed.

Ryoga frowned at this point. "I hate to admit it, but Ranma's got a point," he stated, drawing a confused look from Akane. "What's to stop Kodachi from attacking you the same way she's done the other girls?"

Akane just looked at Ryoga…and smiled. "Actually…I've got an idea about that…"

* * *

As she headed to bed that evening, all Akane wanted to do was sleep for the entire week before the tournament. Her entire body felt like it was made of lead, and the tiny package she carried in her arms felt as heavy as a small car. It was a great relief for her to set the small bag down beside her bed before she allowed herself to collapse onto the mattress.

_I can't believe how sore I am!_ Akane thought wearily as she rested her head in her pillow. With what little will she had left, she flopped onto her back…and stared in shock.

Hanging from the ceiling above Akane was girl. She had curly back hair with a lock of it tied up in a ponytail, was wearing a green leotard, and she had a large mallet strapped to her back. However, what truly riveted her attention was black rose pinched between her lips.

Before she could even think, Akane watched as the black rose fell from the girl's lips, just as she released her hold on the ceiling. Quickly grabbing her mallet, the girl who could only be Kodachi fell down, screeching, "_Akane Tendo! Prepare to DIE!!!!"_

With only microseconds to spare, Akane leapt out of the way, falling into a fighting stance just as Kodachi's mallet pounded on her mattress. "Who are you?!" Akane demanded. _Like I even have to ask!_

The girl just chortled in the manner of a borderline lunatic. "I'm the rising young star of the gymnastics world, the fair flower of St. Hebereke High School. Kodachi the Black Rose!"

Akane grimaced. She knew she was in a bad position; the day-long training session had drained her badly, while Kodachi was at full strength and in possession of a weapon. Then she smiled as she watched the bag she had brought in shift about before something emerged from it. _Surprise, Black Rose!_

"Take this!" Ryoga cried out, having used the small flask of hot water in the bag to change from piglet to human in the time Kodachi had been focused on Akane. With a forceful punch, Ryoga shattered the mallet, leaving Kodachi stunned and off-balance.

"What the -?!" Kodachi sputtered, but as she looked between Ryoga and Akane and back again, her face twisted with hatred. "Why, you! How dare you try and trick me like this!!"

"Trick _you?!_ _You're_ the one who broke into my room in the middle of the night!" Akane shouted.

"Broke in?" Kodachi repeated. "Nothing of the sort! I just believe in fighting in all fairness _before_ the tournament!"

"Oh, get real! There's a word for cowards like you, Kodachi!" Ryoga growled. "Too bad I can't say it in front of a lady like Akane!"

"Hmph! If that's the way you want it…!" Kodachi snorted, and with that, she brought forth a ribbon.

_She's not bad,_ Ryoga decided as he examined Kodachi's form and stance. _But she's an amateur compared to Mom!_ Automatically, Ryoga tore off three bandanas and spun them in his hand, waiting for the right moment to strike. He wasn't long in waiting, for Kodachi sent her ribbon flying at him in a spiral, clearly intending to bind Ryoga's arms. He didn't give her the chance; instead, he fired off all three bandanas through the center of the spiral, the only weak spot to that offense.

"_Arrrgh!_" Kodachi screeched in pain as the bandanas tore the ribbon from her grasp, leaving her to clutch her bloodied hand. "You wicked beast!"

Kodachi quickly leapt to grab the ribbon, but Akane booted it away from the Black Rose. "Ryoga!" she cried out as the ribbon flew towards him.

Kodachi gasped in shock as Ryoga caught the ribbon and leapt forward. Kodachi quickly scooted backwards, just between Ryoga and the window. "You've got some moves, I'll give you that! But let's see you take this! Rasen Ribon Dageki(2)!" With that, Ryoga sent the ribbon spiraling at Kodachi like a drill, the tip of driving into her stomach! The force of the blow staggered Kodachi, her face contorted with agony as she was sent flying through the open window and into the air!

"Whoa…" Akane murmured in awe. She could never have imagined that a ribbon could be so devastating until today, and as she looked at Ryoga, she knew that she had a long ways to go before she was ready for the tournament.

* * *

At that moment, Ranma was walking furiously about the neighborhood. He couldn't _believe_ that Akane had actually brought that…that _pig_ into her bedroom!

_Let her do whatever she wants!_ he snorted furiously. He found himself almost hoping that Kodachi ambushed the tomboy. _It's not like she ever listens to me anyway! And depending on Ryoga…what is she thinking?!_

Ranma was broken from his musings by the sound of feminine panting. Narrowing his eyes, Ranma quickened his pace and was eventually confronted by the sight of a girl staggering down the street, grasping her right wrist, her face contorted in pain. A quick check revealed that her hand was badly injured, and was bleeding heavily.

"That miserable beast…" she gasped heavily as she made her way along the street, her every step betraying the extent of her injuries, and just how much pain she was in. "How dare he!"

"Whoa! Are you alright?" Ranma asked, rushing up to look at the girl. "Man, that hand must really be hurting you."

The girl just fixed her gaze on Ranma, her eyes swimming in pain. "It's nothing…" she snorted.

"Yeah, right! Look at you! You're bleeding all over the place!" Ranma protested. "We better get you to a doctor!"

"Huh?" the girl asked, and as she looked up, Ranma got a better look at her.

_Uh-oh, it's what's-her-face. Black Lotus or whatever!_ Ranma thought unhappily. _But how the hell did she get so beat up? Could Akane have…or maybe Ryoga?_

"A…doctor?" Kodachi asked, looking almost fearful. There was a delicacy to her now that wasn't there before, one that made Ranma even more concerned.

"Yeah, a doctor! Come on!" Ranma declared, scooping Kodachi into his arms before she had a chance to protest. "Dr. Tofu's place isn't far from here. He'll have you feeling better in no time!"

"Uh…okay…" Kodachi replied uncertainly, wrapping her arms tightly about Ranma. With that, the pig-tailed martial artist leapt up to the nearest rooftop, and was soon heading towards Dr. Tofu's. As for Kodachi, she continued to hold on as tight as she could, thinking, _What a man…_

* * *

Author's Notes: Looks like the Black Rose's first assault was a bust! And with her hand so badly cut up, how will that affect her ability to fight?

Attack translations:

(1) Tadai Butoukai Sumasshu - Heavy Ball Smash

(2) Rasen Ribon Dageki - Spiral Ribbon Strike

Now, in the original story, we see that Ryoga knows a lot about Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, but we never discovered why. I decided that he had to have seen someone or be related to someone who knew about, and that's how I came up with the idea of him learning it from his mother.

By the way, I hope the Japanese translations for the battle moves used in this story are accurate. If anybody sees anything wrong with them, please let me know so that I can correct them.

Everyone, I truly enjoy reading your reviews. They really do help me with the story, and keep up the creative effort. Please, continue to read and review! And check out my other stories, if you like!

whimsy007, you've made some valid points, and I have every intention of exploring them. As for your comments about the Bread Feud, again, you have some valid points, but there's something else you should look at. In those scenes, I _did_ see Ryoga doing his share of pushing and shoving in order to get at the bread. That's true. However, Ranma was the one who used Ryoga's head as a springboard in order to get it, which I think is what really got to Ryoga, rather than losing the bread in and of itself. Remember, Ranma has a tendency to turn anything into a competition, and to gloat when he wins, adding insult to injury, which I'm sure is what really gets to Ryoga.

Fenris, I know Ranma tried to extend the olive branch to both Ryoga and Akane. But in Akane's case, she didn't know Ranma was outside her door when she made that comment. Also, and let's be honest, Ranma can be a jerk, which causes a lot of problems. Yes, I know he sometimes apologizes, but not always, and it would be a lot better if he didn't make a jerk of himself in the first place. And yes, I know Akane broke her promise, but again, he was making a jerk of himself, mouthing off about how he was sexier than she was. I think she has at least _some_ right to be annoyed with him.

Well, until next time!


	6. Sweet Temptation

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 6: Sweet Temptation

The morning after Kodachi's failed ambush, Akane was heading to school, followed closely by both Ranma and Ryoga. The youngest of the Tendo girls winced with pain every step of the way, her muscles stiff and sore from the training from last night. Her ears were getting to be sore as well, with the boys filling her ears with their incessant arguing.

"I still can't believe that you would actually hit a girl, Ryoga! Even a maniac like Kodachi!" Ranma sneered as he walked along top of a convenient fence.

"She had it coming!" Ryoga countered heatedly. "Crippling all those girls and going after Akane, just so that she can win the tournament! She got what was coming to her!"

Akane groaned as the argument went on (and on and on and on) as it had since breakfast, when Ranma revealed that he had found a severely injured Kodachi some distance from the dojo and had carried her off to Dr. Tofu's clinic. Breakfast had quickly turned into all-out war as the two boys fired various accusations at each other, and had almost come to blows before her father and Kasumi interceded. Still, despite the fact that a fight had been averted, Akane could practically feel the hostility radiating from the two of them, something that resulted in Ryoga insisting on accompanying them to school.

"Oh, so you decided to cripple her instead?" Ranma continued. "I hate to break it to you, but that whole 'eye for an eye' stuff went out of fashion a long time ago!"

"I was just protecting Akane! If Kodachi can't fight, then it's her own fault! She had no business sneaking into Akane's room!" Ryoga snorted. "What _I_ can't believe is that you actually helped her! Who's side are you on, anyway?!"

"Hey, what was I supposed to do?! Just leave her out there?" Ranma protested. "The way you messed her up, she could barely walk, let alone fight! I had to do _something!_"

"Okay, that's _enough!!_" Akane finally screeched, turning about to glare furiously at the cursed martial artists, freezing them in their tracks. "Look, I'm in the mood for this, okay?! I'm tired and sore and hurting and all your arguing makes me feel like my head is going to explode!!" Heaving a deep breath, Akane then took advantage of the silence provided her. "Ranma, let's get one thing straight; I have every intention of beating Kodachi in the tournament, in a _fair_ fight! I don't want her crippled, but if she is, then it's only because _she_ was trying to cripple _me!_ Ryoga was there to protect me, that's all!" While Ranma's brows furrowed in annoyance, Akane turned her attention to Ryoga. "Ryoga, I know you want to protect me, but I can't afford to stoop to Kodachi's level to win this tournament. So, please, if she tries something like that again, I don't mind if you drive her off, but you are not to hurt her, okay?"

"But…Akane…" Ryoga sputtered.

"No 'buts', Ryoga! And that goes for you, too, Ranma!" Akane declared, wincing as even the muscles in her head decided to pain her. "Now let's get going before we're late for school!"

"Oh, right!" Ryoga answered as Akane turned about and started moving as fast as her stiff muscles would allow her. As for Ranma, his eyes were narrowed in irritation as he started forward again.

"Come on, hurry!" Akane grunted, as much to herself as to the boys as she tried to force her body to move even faster. However, even as she struggled with her body, she was startled by the sound of water being splashed behind her, followed shortly by the sound of a pig squealing. Wincing in pain and realization, Akane came to a halt and turned about. Groaning in dismay, Akane saw Ryoga in the form of a little black piglet, surrounded by his clothes. While a little old woman splashed water onto the street, blissfully unaware of what she had done, Ranma stared down at Ryoga.

"Aw, man! Would it really kill you to look where you're going?" Ranma wondered as he leapt down off the fence, Ryoga squealing angrily in response.

"Oh, no…" Akane groaned as she scooped Ryoga up into her arms. "What am I supposed to do now?! We're already late, and -!"

Snorting in disgust, Ranma picked up Ryoga's clothes and backpack. "Guess we don't have much choice," Ranma decided, looking even more irritated, as if this were all a big waste of time. "Come on, let's get going already!"

"Huh?" Akane gaped as Ranma took off, first stunned by the fact that he could move so easily while carrying the monstrous load that Ryoga normally shouldered. Then she took a moment to process the fact that Ranma was actually _helping_ somebody without being coerced into it. However, she then realized that Ranma was quickly leaving her in his dust, at which point she scowled and shouted, "Hey, wait for me!"

Barely getting inside the school walls before they were closed, Akane sucked in several breaths as her muscles pained her even more. "Good morning, Akane!" one of the other girls called out to her.

"Oh, good morning," she responded with a bit of effort, trying to cover up just how much pain she was in, even as two girls approached her.

"So is what everybody saying true? Are you really competing in the Rhythmic Gymnastics tournament?" one of the girls asked.

Akane gave a quick nod to this. "Sure is!"

The other girl then opened her mouth to speak, but then her eyes lowered to catch sight of Ryoga, still cradled in Akane's arms. "Oh, Akane! What an adorable little pig!"

"Huh?" Akane sputtered, unsure of what to do now.

"Wow, it's so cute!" the other girl cooed. "Is it yours?"

"Oh, well, I…" Akane fumbled while Ryoga blushed in the face of the smiling girls that were gathering to look at him. Looking around, Akane sighted Ranma, who was scowling at the situation that was unfolding.

"Ah, can I hold him, please?"

"Let me hold him next!"

"Where'd you get that cute little piggy, Akane? What's its name?"

"Oh, I…his name?" Akane struggled, trying to come up with anything _but_ Ryoga! _What should I call him, what should I call him… _"Uh, it's…P-chan!"

* * *

Ryoga spent the rest of the day at school as 'P-chan', something that Akane hadn't planned on; however, with so many girls jockeying to cuddle the black piglet, she couldn't find even the slightest opportunity to sneak him away and change him back to a human. Even lunch period was spent with Akane's friends wondering how she had found such a cute little pig. Already exhausted, Akane was sorely tempted to just crawl into some obscure corner of the school and sleep for a week.

"I'm really sorry, Ryoga," Akane whispered to him as she carried the little pig in her arms as school let out. Looking for Ranma as she exited school, she looked Ryoga in the eyes as she walked along. "I guess you must hate being carried around like this, huh? And everybody wanting to hold you all the time…" Ryoga (or P-chan, as Akane was already starting think of the pig-form) shook his head in response, oinking in what could only be called a kind, gentle manner. "You really don't mind?" Akane asked dubiously, which was answered by further gentle oinks. Finally, she smiled at Ryoga/P-chan. "Thanks…P-chan!" Akane smirked as P-chan blushed lightly. "Well, I guess I can't blame the others for wanting to hold you. You really are cute..." P-chan blushed even more deeply at this, and Akane soon joined him as she realized exactly what it was that she said. "What…well, that is, I, umm…"

"Yo, Akane!" came Ranma's voice, startling Akane from her thoughts. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Oh, Ranma!" Akane noted, turning to face the pigtailed martial artist, who was carrying Ryoga's belongings. "Thanks for taking care of Ryoga's stuff!"

"Eh, it's no big deal," Ranma shrugged, eyeing P-chan as he spoke. "I guess it would be tough to explain what happened to 'P-chan' if he just disappeared, right, Ryoga?"

While the little black piglet growled at Ranma, Akane gave a weary smile. "Anyway, thanks," she said, hoping this act of cooperation would not be an isolated incident. "By the way, all that training last night made me pretty hungry, and I don't think I can wait for dinner. Wanna grab a burger or something?"

"Sure, why not?" Ranma smiled, looking even more pleased at the prospect of food.

"What about you, P-chan?" Akane asked, to which Ryoga gave an affirmative oink. "Well, I guess it's settled! We'll make a quick stop at Dr. Tofu's for some hot water, and -!"

"Akane Tendo!" came a shrill girl's voice, one that the three of them immediately recognized. Turning towards the opening of the gate, they saw Kodachi slowly walking towards them, her tentative movements betraying the amount of pain she was in.

Walking alongside her was smallish person of about their age, maybe younger, dressed in garments like those worn by ninjas. "Please, Mistress Kodachi, restrain yourself! The doctor told you to take it easy for the next few days, or -!"

"Stay out of this, Sasuke!" Kodachi growled, causing the little ninja to tremble nervously. "As for you, Ms. Tendo, how dare you trick in such a manner!"

"Trick you?! What the heck are you talking about?!" Akane protested, her eyes narrowing even as Ryoga/P-chan squealed angrily. "_You're_ the one who snuck into _my_ room, remember?!"

"What I remember is you being too much of a coward to fight your own battles!" Kodachi spat hatefully, wincing in pain as she spoke. "Having that strange boy lying in wait for me! Of all the cowardly tricks!"

"_Cowardly tricks?!"_ Akane snarled as Ryoga squealed angrily.

"Mistress Kodachi, _please,_ I implore you! If you aggravate your injury, then you won't be able to compete in the tournament!" Sasuke pleaded.

Kodachi another hateful look at the ninja, but then refocused her ire upon Akane. "Don't worry about me, Sasuke. Ms. Tendo is the one who should be worried, for I have every intention of being present for the tournament. And when I'm done with you, you will be begging me for mercy!"

"That's just what I was thinking about you!" Akane retorted. "So why don't you go home already? Don't you want to be rested up for the big day?"

"I intend to, just as soon as I see one other person," Kodachi smirked before looking towards Ranma. "Oh, Ranma-darling!"

"Um, hi…" Ranma stammered as Kodachi approached him, a slight limp to her gait.

"I just wanted to say thank you for bringing to the doctor's place last night," Kodachi murmured, her hands clasped together as she exuded as much sweet charm as she could muster. "If you hadn't come along, then I just don't what I would have done!"

"Oh, well, that's okay! You don't have to thank me or nothin'…" Ranma replied nervously as he turned about to leave…only to have Kodachi grab onto his back and rest her head against his shoulder.

_Gee, Ranma, looks you might have a girl that you actually deserve!_ Ryoga thought with grim amusement as Kodachi sighed contently, even as Akane growled irritably. However, things became even more complicated as Kuno arrived on the scene. Ryoga gave a mental smirk as he took note of the bandages covering the top of the swordsman's head.

"And what have we here?" Kuno wondered as he surveyed the situation, looking at Ranma as he were studying a bug. Frowning thoughtfully, Kuno slowly circled the two of them, while Ranma looked on questioningly and Kodachi was completely oblivious. Finally, Kuno halted, brought a fan, and announced, "Very well, Saotome, I give you my permission to date my sister."

"Huh! Hey, wait a minute, I -!" Ranma started, but then his eyes widened as he realized just he had heard. "What? Your…sister?!"

"Sister?!" Akane seconded, her disbelief echoing that which Ryoga felt.

"Oh, dear, did I forget to mention that last night?" Kodachi murmured as Ranma looked over his shoulder at her. "My full name is Kodachi Kuno."

_Kuno's sister, huh? Why am I so not surprised?_ Ranma thought, looking desperately for a way out of this mess. Looking left and right, his eyes settled on Akane, and a way out appeared. "Well, uh, Kodachi, look, it's nothing personal, but, I really could date you…"

"What?!" Kodachi gasped, her face a picture of horror. "You don't mean…you hate me, don't you!?"

"No, no, that ain't it!" Ranma protested, waving his hands in negation before seeking shelter behind Akane. "It's just that my pops…he already set me up with a fiancée!"

Kodachi's eyes filled with outrage at this. "You mean…you're engaged to _her?!_"

"Hey, it's not my idea, but…" Ranma protested, giving a look of 'what can you do?' for everybody to see.

_Oh, sure, __**now**__ you want to be her fiancée,_ Ryoga thought bitterly as Akane looked at Ranma distastefully. "Is that how it is, huh?"

"Hey, gimme a break here, okay?!" Ranma hissed nervously. Then returning his attention to Kodachi, he sputtered, "Anyway, I just can't go on a date with somebody, okay? No that I don't want to, it's just…"

"Oh, I understand what you're saying. Unlike some people I know, you actually have enough respect for women to not play both sides of the fence," Kodachi smiled nastily, eyeing her brother as she spoke. Just as Ranma thought he was in the clear, however, Kodachi continued. "Ms. Tendo? How about I make a deal with you?"

"A deal?" Akane wondered.

"Yes. How about we put Ranma-darling up for stakes in the tournament?" Kodachi purred nastily. "If, or perhaps I should say _when_ I win, you'll break off your engagement?"

_What?_ Ryoga thought, glancing at Akane even as he did.

"_What?!"_ Akane screeched.

"Akane Tendo, what a perfect solution!" Kuno cried out, coming up behind Akane. "All you have to do is lose, and you can be rid of Ranma forever!"

"Hey!" Akane retorted, even as Ryoga considered what Kuno said. To have Akane's engagement to Ranma broken off…and then maybe…

Ryoga's chain of thought was broken off as Kodachi laughed crazily. "Well, then, I'd best get home and rest up, now shouldn't I? I want to be at my best…to do my worst to you!" As Kodachi continued to laugh, Ryoga looked at the psychotic gymnast…and found himself torn.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Ryoga found himself lazing about the Tendo dojo, thinking fervently about his current situation. _If Kodachi wins the tournament, then the engagement will be over, and then Akane…_

Ryoga frowned at this point. If Akane lost, then yes, the engagement would be broken. The problem was, he knew that Kodachi would have no problem with pulling every dirty trick in the book (and probably a few that weren't) in order to ensure her victory. Kuno had said as much earlier, and Ryoga believed every word of it.

Another problem was that Ryoga knew that Akane well enough to realize that she had absolutely no intention of losing to Kodachi. It was just the way she was, and the truth was, he respected her warrior's heart. She just wouldn't be the Akane he had come to love if she were any other way. And yet…

Frowning in frustration, Ryoga made his way to the dojo, where Akane was performing a series of stretches in order to relieve the stiffness of her muscles. For a time, he just stood there and marveled at her, looking at her perfect form and taking in her adorable features. A form that would be ravaged if the Black Rose had her way…

"Oh, hey, Ryoga!" Akane started as she looked in his direction. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Uh, sorry, Akane," Ryoga fumbled, scratching the back of his head as he blushed.

Noticing Ryoga's expression, Akane asked, "Ryoga, what is it? What's wrong?"

Sighing, Ryoga looked into Akane's gorgeous eyes, and frowned. "Akane…aren't you worried?"

"Worried? What do you mean?"

"About the tournament," Ryoga clarified. "That girl, Kodachi, she's crazy! Who knows what she might pull when you two fight each other?"

Akane blinked once before her expression hardened. "Ryoga, don't you even _think_ of asking me to back out of this! There's no _way_ I would ever lose to _her!_"

"Uh, I'm sorry! I'm just…" Ryoga fumbled nervously. "I just…don't want anything bad to happen to you, that's all."

Her sudden fury dissipated, Akane managed a weak smile. "I understand, Ryoga, and really, I appreciate it! But I can't give up now! Everybody's depending on me to win this thing!"

"I know, but…" Ryoga answered lamely, unsure of what to say to this.

"Besides, with you coaching me, I know I can beat her!" Akane grinned enthusiastically. "So come on! Let's get to work, okay?"

As Ryoga looked at Akane, saw how determined she was to win, he suddenly felt a deep shame overwhelm him. _I can't believe I actually thought of asking Akane to give up, just to be rid of Ranma!_ Ryoga thought disgustedly, thinking of how much he had put towards his goal of defeating his own enemy. Looking at Akane, Ryoga gave his best smile. "Okay, then! We only have six days before the tournament, so we better get to work!"

"Okay!" Akane smiled in response, and thus, the two of them went to work.

_Ranma, I'll deal with you myself someday,_ Ryoga thought determinedly, giving Akane demonstrations of some basic Iron Cloth techniques for Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. _But I won't stoop to some trick in order to get rid of you! It'll be just you and me, and when I win…I'll be the one who goes out with Akane!_

* * *

Author's Notes: A little more training to go, and then the big tournament arrives! Please, read and review! And I hope everybody will also check out my other stories as well!

Everybody, I want to thank you all for the reviews! Such feedback is everything to an author! Please, keep them coming!

Brakhoush, thanks for the input. But that fact is, I don't have many of the mangas available, and am working almost exclusively from the anime for this story. There are a few exceptions, like the map on Kuno's head, but other that, the anime is my main source.

pepper, I really am trying to tone down the Ranma-bashing, I really am. I just hope you enjoy!

Well, until next time!


	7. Training Daze

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 7: Training Daze

"Okay, Akane, are you ready?" Ryoga asked, standing at the door of the dojo.

"Ready!" Akane called out, dressed in a yellow leotard and gripping a club in each hand.

"Alright…then go!"

Akane immediately went into action, throwing the clubs like kunai knives at two of the targets set around the dojo. Made up to vaguely resemble the Black Rose, Akane felt a warm surge of satisfaction as the clubs struck home, burying themselves in the dummies' heads. Doing a quick roll towards the next tool, she grabbed up a hoop. Imbuing it with her chi before throwing it, Akane was rewarded with the sight of the hoop slicing another target in half before burying itself in the wall beyond it.

"Yes!" Akane grinned, very pleased with the progress she had made. Several days passed since she had made the bet with Kodachi, days in which Akane continued to train under Ryoga's watchful eye, pushing herself to her limits and beyond in order to become stronger. Though she honestly didn't care about the bet itself, she was determined to demolish the filthy cheat that had crippled so many honest athletes.

"It's not over yet, Akane," Ryoga reminded. "Now, let's see how far you've come with those Iron Cloth techniques!"

"Okay!" Akane grinned, taking up a rope. Doubling it up and stretching it taut in both hands as she empowered with her fighting spirit, Akane roared before charging another target. Wielding the rope like it was a sword, she cut down the Kodachi-dummy effortlessly.

Smiling even more deeply, Akane prepared to move onto the next set of moves. "And now for the ribbon!" Taking the tool in hand, Akane faced down another target. "Rasen Ribon Dageki (Spiral Ribbon Strike)!" Firing off the move the Ryoga had defeated Kodachi with, Akane was rewarded with the sight of the ribbon drilling through the target effortlessly. "Ken Ribon Renda (Bladed Ribbon Barrage)!" This time, the ribbon danced about like whip, slashing through anything it touched, including three more targets.

"Akane! Here!" Ryoga cried out, sending a wave of clubs in her general direction.

Turning about instantly, Akane counterattacked. "Rasen Ribon Ha! (Spiral Ribbon Wave)!" The ribbon spun about just before her, forming a spiral pattern the shielded her from the attack. As the clubs fell to the ground, Akane grinned in triumph. "Yes!"

"You've made a lot of progress, Akane," Ryoga smiled, and this time, he meant what he said. She had certainly come a long way since she started training.

"I couldn't have done it without your help, Ryoga!" Akane smiled as she mopped her brow. "So, what next?"

"Well, we only have two days before the match," Ryoga reminded her. "It might best to just focus on the skills you've got. Make sure you've got everything down perfectly."

Akane frowned slightly at this. "What about that super move the others told me about? That Tadai whatever it was?"

"The Tadai Butoukai Sumasshu (Heavy Ball Smash)?" Ryoga gathered.

"Yeah!" Akane enthused, before realization hit her. "Oh, wait…you don't know how to do it, do you?"

"No, that's not it!" Ryoga reassured her. "I know how the move works. It's just…"

"What is it?" Akane asked. "Please, Ryoga! There's not much time, and I'm going to need every edge I can get!"

"Well…the Sumasshu is really tricky to learn. It took me over a week to get it down, and that was with Mom teaching me," Ryoga admitted.

"I know there isn't a lot of time left, but I have to try!" Akane pleaded. "Please, Ryoga!"

"Well…okay," Ryoga caved in, unable to resist Akane's soulful gaze. As she grinned happily, he just smiled in response before grabbing a ball. "But I can't show it to you here. We'd have to go to the gym."

"Huh? Why's that?" Akane wondered.

"Mom created the Sumasshu as move to destroy a martial arts ring, to leave her opponent without anyplace to stand," Ryoga explained. "So if I'm going to show you how the move works…"

"We need a ring to use it on?" Akane guessed, frowning at the idea. "But we can't just demolish our school's ring!"

"Oh, I wasn't thinking of doing something like that!" Ryoga assured her. "It's just that the Sumasshu is kinda complicated. It'd be easier for me to show you how it works than to try and describe it."

Cocking her head in a thoughtful manner, Akane finally smiled in understanding. "Okay, then, but would it be okay if we waited until after dinner? I don't think I can hold out much longer."

"Well, sure, okay," Ryoga fumbled, blushing as he scratched his head. "I guess it's no big hurry. But after you see it, if you decide not to go for it…"

"Like I said, Ryoga, I need every possible advantage!" Akane reiterated. "Besides, with you to teach me, how can I go wrong?" As Ryoga blushed even more brightly in the face of this praise, another set of eyes was watching the situation unfold between them.

"What did I ever do to deserve this?" Ranma grumbled unhappily. On the one hand, he was actually somewhat impressed by the level of skill Akane was displaying in her training. On the other hand… "Look at her! Acting all cute around Ryoga! Oh, man…"

Ranma honestly wasn't sure as to what to make of the youngest Tendo. She was fighter, which was something he respected, and she hated backing down under any circumstances. There were even times when she could be cute and nice. She also had the worst temper imaginable, could be a totally sexless tomboy, and seemed to delight in smashing his head in with a mallet every time she got just the _slightest_ bit annoyed! Not to mention how she was constantly calling him a perverted freak!

_It's not like I asked to have this stupid curse on my body!_ Ranma fumed as he watched the two of them go inside for dinner, and did the same himself not long after. _Still…okay, I admit it! She did save my neck a couple times…and then that mess with her hair getting sliced off…_

However, as Ranma entered the living room and settled down for dinner, it was fairly easy to put his somber musings out of mind. Especially when his stomach was growling so loud that he couldn't hear himself think!

When Akane was done changing out of her leotard and joined the rest of them at the dinner table, Kasumi finally served them. While everybody was feeding their faces, Soun took a moment to address his daughter. "So, Akane, how goes your training?"

"It's going great, Dad!" Akane smiled happily before turning to look at the boy. "Ryoga makes a great sensei!"

"Oh, uh…thanks, Akane…" Ryoga stammered somewhat before deliberately focusing his attention on his teacup. _She's so nice, and so pretty…_

While Ranma was feeling ill, Soun was directing his attention at the pig-tailed boy. "You know, Ranma, I was thinking. I'm sure that Akane's training would go a lot faster if you were to help as well."

"Nah. I'm sure Akane'll do just fine," Ranma replied in a tone of deliberate disinterest.

"Oh, really?" Akane muttered, suddenly annoyed. While there were certain things about Ranma that she respected, like his skill as a martial artist, his curse was a major turnoff, and his carefree attitude and ego truly grated on her. "So, you don't care if I lose to Kodachi? Is that it?"

"I didn't say that," Ranma countered. "I'm just saying that it's not like you need my help when you have _Ryoga_. Right?"

Snorting in annoyance, Akane stuck her nose up in the air. "Well, maybe you _should_ worry, considering the bet with Kodachi! Or did you forget about that?"

"Huh? What bet?" Soun wondered in surprise.

"It's nothing, really," Akane smirked. "We decided that if I lose the match, she gets to go out with Ranma."

"Oh, my!" Kasumi gaped as Soun and Genma's eyes expanded with shock, their jaws slamming to the floor.

"You _what?!"_ Soun cried out in horror. "Akane! How could you make bet like _that?!_ Ranma is _your_ _fiancée!!_"

"And who said I wanted fiancée, anyway?!" Akane growled in response.

"That's what I say!" Ranma chimed in. "And if I did, it sure wouldn't be no un-cute fiancée like you!"

"Then maybe I _should_ just forfeit the match, then!" Akane grimaced. "Then you'd be free to go out with Kodachi, and me…"

"Yeah, and what would you do?" Ranma frowned. "Where the heck are you gonna find somebody dumb enough to fall for a tomboy type like you?"

Even more angered by this statement, Akane immediately recovered and looked sweetly at Ryoga. "Say, Ryoga, would you like to go out to a movie with me tomorrow? I can sure use a break from training!"

"W-what?!" Ryoga sputtered, while Soun and Genma looked to be headed towards a nervous breakdown.

Surveying the chaos that had disrupted dinner, Nabiki was smirking with naughty delight. "My, things sure seem to be getting more interesting around here."

"Akane! Don't even joke about such things!" Soun shouted as things continued to deteriorate.

"Who said I was joking?!" Akane countered instantly, while Ryoga was trying to shake himself from his dazed state. "I never wanted to be engaged to that pervert, anyway!"

"Ranma! What about you, boy?!" Genma demanded as Soun floundered. "Don't you have anything to say here?"

"Well, what do you want me to say?" Ranma countered. "If Akane is _stupid_ enough to fall for 'P-chan' here, then she gets what she deserves!"

"Excuse me?!" Akane snarled.

"Yeah, you heard right!" Ranma countered with greater heat.

Just as things seemed primed to explode, a voice was heard throughout the house. "Hello, is anybody home?"

"Oh! That sounds like Dr. Tofu!" Kasumi noted.

"Ranma? Are you here?" the doctor sounded again.

"Huh. I wonder what he wants to see me for?" Ranma wondered.

"Maybe he wants to inspect your brain, boy," Genma snorted disdainfully. "And considering what you've been saying tonight, I'd say the timing couldn't be better."

Grunting, Ranma rose up and headed towards the front door. "Yo, Doc!" he called out as the bespectacled chiropractor came into view.

"Ah, Ranma. How are you doing tonight?" Dr. Tofu started cordially.

"I, uh…I've been better," Ranma admitted, painfully aware that everybody else in the house was doing a very bad job of hiding just around the corner. _Don't give up your day jobs, because ninjas you are not!_

"Listen, I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I wanted to talk to you about that girl you brought by the clinic. Kodachi Kuno?" Pausing, Dr. Tofu frowned thoughtfully. "I've been trying to do some follow-ups with her treatment, and frankly, I'm very concerned about her."

"I'd be concerned, too," Ranma joked. "She's pretty twisted, if you ask me!"

"I noticed her behavior, Ranma. That's part of the reason I'm concerned," Dr. Tofu admitted. "But there's something else. When you brought her over to the clinic, as I was treating her injuries, I noticed that she had several bad scars on her back."

"Huh? Seriously?" Ranma started, Akane and the others matching his surprise. "What, did she fall downstairs or something?"

"Actually, some of them looked like old moxabustion marks, but applied with far too much heat. She must have been badly burned by them," Dr. Tofu reported. "As for the others…well, I wasn't able to identify them, and Kodachi refused to talk about them. She's also refused to come back to the clinic for a follow-up."

"Whoa," Ranma let out. _Maybe there's some reason she's so twisted,_ he thought. _Then again, there sure is a reason I turn into a girl with cold water!_ Frowning thoughtfully, Ranma went on, "Well, okay, but why come to me?"

"Because you were the one who brought her by in the first place, and she seemed very open to you," Dr. Tofu explained. "Look, all I'm asking is that you talk to her, see if you can convince to come by the clinic again. That's all."

"Well…" For a moment, Ranma considered the situation. Though he was in no hurry to cross paths with the Black Rose again, especially given the present situation, he really didn't like the sound of what Dr. Tofu was telling him. Heavy duty moxa burns and mysterious scars didn't sound like an accident to him, and psychotic or not, Ranma deeply disliked the thought of anybody treating a girl that way. "I guess it couldn't hurt. You know, just to stop by her place."

"Great, Ranma!" Dr. Tofu smiled. "I'd really appreciate that!"

"Yeah, well, I can't make any promises that she'll come…" Ranma noted.

"I understand," the doctor nodded. "Just do what you can, that's all I ask."

While Akane was shooting glares of pure death at Ranma, both Soun and Genma were creeping away so that they could scheme just out of earshot. "Saotome! No matter _what_ happens, we cannot let Akane lose this match! The future of the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts depends on it!"

"You're right, Tendo! Things have gotten worse than I expected!" Genma declared. "And we better do something about Ryoga, and fast!"

"Actually, I think I have an idea as to how we can motivate Akane. Make her see things our way," Soun responded, a devious plan coming together almost instantly. "You leave that to me! Just make sure that nothing happens between Ranma and Kodachi!"

"You don't have to worry about her, Tendo!" Genma smirked. "Trust me, she isn't going to get in our way! Even if I have to stick her in a barrel, dump her in a cave with some dynamite, and seal her away! It sure worked with -!"

"_Don't even mention __**him!**__"_ Tendo nearly shrieked, grabbing Genma by the neck of his training _dogi._ "Don't you _dare!_ The _last_ thing we need is that kind of bad karma ruining things!"

Grimacing at both Soun's expression and the fact that he had so nearly tempted fate, Genma sweat-dropped as the image of their evil master appeared in his mind. "Heh, relax, Tendo! No need to panic! Like I said, I'll take care of Kodachi, and you…"

"I'll straighten Akane out!" Soun concluded, somehow managing to settle down. "Still, we better work quickly, before things get even worse."

"Right," Genma agreed, before taking a deep breath. "Honestly, why those two can't be sincere about their feelings is beyond me."

"Ah, so true," Soun sighed, raising his eyes skyward.

* * *

"This way, Ryoga," Akane instructed, the fanged warrior following closely behind her as they made their way into Furinkan High. About an hour had passed since dinner's conclusion, and she was still feeling irritated at the thought of Ranma, and even Dr. Tofu being so concerned about that cheater Kodachi. _If I don't burn off some anger soon, I'm gonna explode!_

"Right," Ryoga muttered as he crept along. "Um…Akane?"

"Yeah?"

"About…what you said at dinner…about going out to a movie?" Ryoga got out, and as Akane turned to look at him, she could tell that he was blushing, even in the dark. "Look, I…did you really mean that? That you'd like to go out with me?"

As Ryoga asked the question, Akane suddenly felt like a first-class heel. In all honesty, she had been trying to annoy Ranma, more than anything else. Still, as she looked at Ryoga's earnest, caring face, thought of how much he had done for her, ten tons of guilt settled down upon her shoulders. "Of course I did, Ryoga! It's been forever since I've been to a movie, and besides…"

"Besides?" Ryoga prompted, looking somewhat anxious for her to continue.

"Well…" Akane flushed, embarrassed both by what she had done and the emotions she was feeling. "I just thought…that it would be a good idea to get to know you better, that's all. And besides, with all the work we've been doing, we could use a break."

"Oh," Ryoga responded, a goofy grin spreading across his face. "Well, I, uh…yeah, that does sound like fun."

"Great!" Akane grinned, a sense of relief flooding her. "Anyway, let's get going! I really want to see the Sumasshu in action!"

"Oh, okay!" Ryoga responded nervously as Akane once again led the way. _She wants to go to a movie with me…_ was the stunned thought that swirled about in his mind as they made their way into the gym.

Moving carefully, Akane went over to the light switch. "Okay, Ryoga! I'm ready!" she spoke as she blinked in response to the change in light. "So tell me how the Sumasshu works!"

Taking a deep breath, Ryoga did his best to focus on the task at hand, something that had become much easier as of late. "Well, the basis of the Sumasshu is to energize the ball with your chi, like with the Iron Cloth techniques," he started, holding up a ball for Akane to see. "However, when you charge the ball, you have to do it so the ball with spin at high speed when you throw it at the ring."

"Spin?" Akane wondered.

"Here, I'll show you how it works," Ryoga told her. With that, he looked at the ball, focusing his battle aura into his hand, shaping it around the ball. Soon, the rubber sphere was shuddering in his hands, and when Ryoga finally judged it to be ready, he returned his attention to Akane. "Alright, now stand back!"

"What?" Akane wondered.

"Please, Akane! Just stand back, and be ready to move!" Ryoga insisted. When Akane finally complied, getting as much distance as she could, Ryoga returned his attention to the ball. "Now watch this! _Tadai Butoukai Sumasshu_ (Heavy Ball Smash)_!"_ Leaping up as high as he could, Ryoga hurled the ball down at the ground as hard he could, the sphere a blur as it spun towards the ground like a drill. Upon slamming into the floor, the ball flattened out somewhat, almost like a pancake as it continued to spin, sending up streams of smoke.

"What the -?" Akane got out just before the ball shot off, flying away at a forty-five degree angle before slamming into a wall, before continuing to ricochet out of control! Filled with fear, Akane watched as the ball tore the air apart for a few seconds before finally slowing down. "Whoa, Ryoga!"

"That's basically how it works," Ryoga smiled as he went over to Akane, the ball slowly settling down. "The main idea is to get the ball to spin against the floor, so it builds up enough heat to fire it off at high speed. When that happens…"

"It's like a bullet, shooting all over the place!" Akane marveled, taking in the various craters the ball had made as it had gone ballistic. The she frowned as something occurred to her. "But…that ball went crazy, smashing into everything! Doesn't that mean that I'd get hit as well?"

"Not if you throw the ball hard enough," Ryoga assured her. "Remember, the Sumasshu is supposed to destroy a ring. So you have to throw it through the tarp of the ring, and into the support structure. That's another reason you have to spin the ball; so it penetrates the tarp."

"And can destroy the ring from within!" Akane gasped. "But…what if the ball shoots back up through the tarp?"

"It won't," Ryoga assured her. "Because the ball is beneath the tarp, a lot of heat builds up down there, which funnels out through the hole. Now, Mom told me that this funnel causes the ball to spin off to the sides, and not shoot back up."

"I see," Akane murmured, though she really didn't. Physics just wasn't her forte, and she could tell from the expression on Ryoga's face that it wasn't his, either. "Anyway, it didn't look that hard. Why don't I try it?"

"Uh..." Ryoga hesitated. "A-are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! Why wouldn't I?" Akane demanded as she went to fetch the ball.

"Well, it's just…the first time I tried it didn't go very well…"

Sighing, Akane scooped up the ball from where it had landed. "C'mon, Ryoga! I just want to see what I can do, that's all!" With that, Akane focused her battle aura around the ball, trying to stir it to life as Ryoga had. Slowly, then with greater force, the ball jerked to life…only to jump out of her hand and smack her in the face!

"Akane!" Ryoga cried out as the youngest Tendo fell to the ground. When he reached her side, he saw that her face was one big red welt. "Akane, are you alright?!"

"Ouch," was the only thing she had to say to that.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Ranma commented as he examined the various addresses as he made his way towards one of the last places he had ever thought he would go; the Kuno estate. "If that idiot Kuno challenges me to another fight, I'm outta there!"

Frowning as he looked over the address he had written down, Ranma had to admit that he really didn't have much else to do that day. The morning after the doctor's visit, he had been treated to an all-out lecture by his father on the benefits of his engagement, and that if he even dared to step out on Akane, he would be made to suffer. On top of that, Akane had gone to the movies with Ryoga right after school, but she had also mentioned that she intended to get some more training in.

"And I thought things were crazy before Ryoga showed up?" Ranma snorted as he finally came up to his intended destination…and froze. "What the -?!"

Ranma couldn't believe his eyes as they expanded to take in the immensity of the Kuno estate. It was very much the image of a proper Feudal Era manor, and spoke of a great deal of money. "Man! This place is _huge!_" Ranma stated unnecessarily as he slowly approached the gate, now even more uncomfortable with this idea.

_Still, I told the doc that I'd do this, so…_ With that thought in mind, Ranma proceeded through the gate. "Uh, hello? Anybody home?"

"Who goes there?" came a high-pitched voice, which was quickly followed by a blur shooting into view. Landing in front of Ranma, the blur resolved into the tiny ninja Ranma had seen in Kodachi's company before. "Ah, Ranma Saotome! What business brings you here?"

"I, uh…I just wanted to check up on Kodachi, that's all," Ranma muttered uneasily. Calling on a girl…it wasn't an easy concept for him.

"Oh, I see," the ninja replied, his buck-toothed mouth settling into an easy frown. "I am Sasuke Sarugakure, servant of the Kuno family. Please, wait here while I inform Mistress Kodachi of your arrival."

"Oh, okay. Sure," Ranma muttered, at which point Sasuke blurred again and disappeared. _Gotta give him credit, he's fast. I wonder how good a fighter he is?_

Standing about and examining his surroundings, Ranma noticed what appeared to be several booby traps dotting the landscape. They were hidden well enough to avoid anything but a deliberate search for such things. Fortunately, Ranma had run into his share of traps over the years. _Remind me never to try and break in unannounced._

After some time had passed, Sasuke blurred in again, his appearance heralding the arrival of Kodachi. "Greetings, Ranma-darling! Welcome to the Kuno estate."

"Oh, um, hi!" Ranma grinned nervously as he examined Kodachi. He had to admit that she looked disturbingly attractive in her kimono. With an added emphasis on the 'disturbing' part.

"I'm so very happy to see you again, Ranma-dear!" Kodachi cooed, setting off every one of Ranma's instincts. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Well, I just thought…I'd stop by, see if you were better," Ranma lied easily, hoping to work his way up to the real reason with Kodachi doing something crazy.

"Oh, I'm much better," Kodachi smiled reassuringly. Then, her voice turned into a low growl as she continued. "Rest assured, I shall be more than capable of dealing with Ms. Tendo!"

_Akane, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into,_ Ranma sweat-dropped. "Well, okay, but…shouldn't you drop by Dr. Tofu's place, just to make sure?"

Kodachi's expression darkened slightly at the mentioning of the doctor. "Why, Ranma, dear, why should I do that? After all, I have already recovered from the injuries inflicted by that filthy beast who assaulted me."

"Well, yeah, but still…" Ranma fumbled, trying to think of some way to get her over to the doctor's place. "I just thought it might be a good idea. You want to be sure you're at full strength, right? Especially with this bet you got going with Akane?"

"Hmm…I suppose you do have a point," Kodachi admitted hesitantly, her expression becoming vulnerable, concerned. "Still, I…"

"Tell you what; why don't I come with you?" Ranma continued. Though he didn't like the idea, he was seeing things in Kodachi's face that concerned him. "Besides, Dr. Tofu always does a good job fixing me up, and he did a good job with you the last time, right?"

"That's true…" Kodachi admitted, Ranma's words seeming to take an edge of concern from her features. "Very well, Ranma-darling! I shall accompany you to the…doctor's office."

"Okay," Ranma smiled nervously as Kodachi immediately shucked her kimono in favor of the gymnastics leotard she wore beneath. "So…let's get going!"

"Yes, let's," Kodachi agreed, coming up beside Ranma and snaring his arm in a death-grip.

As Sasuke watched the two of them depart, he scooped up the kimono as a look of hope appeared on his face. "My word, I never thought I'd see the day when Mistress Kodachi _voluntarily_ went to see a doctor of any sort! Especially after all of Dr. Pilaf's cruelties!" the little ninja marveled. "Perhaps this is a good sign. If the mistress can get over everything her father had done to her and Master Kuno…"

Sighing, Sasuke set about returning the kimono to the laundry room. "I certainly hope I'm right. The things the Master and Mistress have had to endure! I shall carry those horrors to the end of my days!"

* * *

Author's Note: Well, the plot thickens! Please, read and review! And I hope you'll check out my other stories as well!

griffenvamp, you seem to forget that there are other women who will have some say as to whether or not Ranma switches over to Nabiki. In particular, a certain Amazon wrecking ball who's only a few chapters away!

Mizuno Tenshi2, I honestly don't think I making Ryoga a saint (he did consider asking Akane to forfeit, just to be rid of Ranma), and I am trying to handle Ranma better!

Anyway, until next time!


	8. On the Eve of Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 8: On the Eve of Battle

"Come now, Ranma-darling!" Kodachi cooed as she walked alongside of him, her arms wrapped about his own, as they finally came within sight of Dr. Tofu's clinic. "I assure you, I'm perfectly fine! I don't need to see a…doctor. Why can't we go someplace fun, instead?"

Ranma took a deep breath, somewhat annoyed at this point. He had lost count of the number of times Kodachi had tried to distract him from his present errand. On the one hand, this insistence provided even more proof that there was something seriously wrong with her. On the other, it was getting old, really fast. "Hey, like I said, there's no harm in making sure! Besides, I'll be there the whole time! Trust me, nothing's going to happen to you!"

"Well, yes, I know, but…" Kodachi frowned unhappily, turbulent emotions lurking behind her eyes.

The twisted gymnast wasn't given the chance to continue speaking, for Dr. Tofu appeared from his clinic, smiling happily. "Oh, Ranma, Kodachi! I happened to look out the window, and I saw you coming! How are you?"

"Um…just fine…Dr. Tofu, as you can clearly see," Kodachi murmured, moving so that Ranma was between her and the approaching doctor.

"Well, you certainly look much better now," Dr. Tofu admitted casually, his arms folded across his chest. "Still, I _was_ worried. You were in pretty bad shape when Ranma first brought you by."

"You're concern is…appreciated, doctor," Kodachi got out, her fingers tensing into Ranma's shoulders. "However, it's also unwarranted. Can we go now, Ranma-darling?"

"Well, uh…" Ranma sputtered, unsure as to what he should do. He looked at the doctor, silently begging for advice.

Meanwhile, Genma was taking advantage of some hot water in order to become human again. _Look at her! Clinging to the boy that way! It's time to set her straight!_ Genma thought as he looked out the window, having prepared for this moment. He then exited the clinic and headed towards the three of them.

"Yo, Pops!" Ranma called out as the elder Saotome approached.

"Oh! Are you Ranma-darling's esteemed father?" Kodachi inquired of the older man.

"There's nothing 'esteemed' about him," Ranma whispered, drawing her attention. "Let's just say I hope that I take after my mother!"

"So, Ramna, my boy, who do we have here?" Genma inquired as he came to stand next to Dr. Tofu.

"Oh, this is Ms. Kodachi Kuno," Dr. Tofu explained. "I told you about her before, remember?"

"Ah, yes," Genma replied with deep disapproval. "So, this is the wench that you're spurning poor Akane over! Ranma, you break your poor father's heart!"

"Hey, now, wait a minute!" Ranma countered, immediately infuriated. "I didn't do nothing!"

"Now, Mr. Saotome, that's a very unfair thing to say!" Dr. Tofu frowned. "Just because he wants to help her, doesn't mean -!"

"Trust me, girl, you don't want to have anything to with my ne'er-do-well of a son! Just take a look at this!" Genma declared, reaching into the folds of his training dogi, and brought out several photographs. "Ranma at age five! Wetting his bed!"

Flushing in humiliation at the sight of the photo and the memories it brought back, Ranma shouted, "Hey! Cut that out!!"

"He's such a bad boy, constantly disobeying his poor father!" Genma chortled, laughing as he evaded Ranma's mindless charge. "You wouldn't believe the things I've had to put up with! He doesn't have so much as an ounce of self-discipline!"

"Oh, like _you're_ one to talk!" Ranma snarled in response, leaping up and trying to snatch hold of the stupid old man he had been cursed to have as a father.

"Hey, you two! Cut it out! Can't you see you're upsetting Kodachi?!" Dr. Tofu demanded sternly, looking at the girl who was even now clutching her head, crying.

_Oh, these two such bad kids!_ a voice cried out in her mind, and a vision of a bizarre older man, with a plastic palm tree stuck in his hair, dangling humiliating pictures of herself and Tatewaki for everyone to see. A man she loved…and yet… "Why do you keep _doing this?!"_ Kodachi shrieked, bringing out a ribbon from out of nowhere and launching into an attack. "Do you really enjoy tormenting children so much more than being _a father?!"_

"What the -?!" Genma spurted as he danced about, barely avoiding Kodachi's ribbon…but unable to avoid Ranma giving him a massive kick to his posterior!

"Ha! Serves you right!" Ranma snorted as his father crashed down his head.

However, Kodachi wasn't done just yet, and leapt at Genma, her ribbon cutting through the air mercilessly as she slashed at him. "Why?! Why do you people think it's so much _fun_ to torture children?! Why do you take off and leave them _without a moment's notice?!_ Why…why…?!" As she finally broke down, the ribbon fell from her hand as Kodachi fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Um…Kodachi?" Ranma spoke up, kneeling down next to the broken girl. "What's wrong? C'mon, what is it?"

Kodachi looked up at Ranma…just before flinging herself into his chest and crying even more.

* * *

"Your father?" Ranma asked, a cup of tea steaming warmly in his hand. He and Dr. Tofu had managed to settle things down enough to move things back into the examining room, after Kodachi had eventually cried herself out. Genma was presently cleaning the waiting room, after being told under no uncertain terms that he was not to interfere with Kodachi's treatment.

"Yes," Kodachi replied, her face still red from the shedding of so many tears. "He…left home about three years ago. Just…left us both, without even a word…"

"That's terrible…" Dr. Tofu murmured softly as he poured a cup of tea for Kodachi. "Would you like some lemon with your tea, or some milk?"

"Oh, thank you…doctor. Milk will be fine…" Kodachi replied, looking emotionally drained. "Please, don't get me wrong, I…love my father. But…he was not a very wise man. He always took so much delight in tormenting his students and my brother…myself as well, at times. And the way he always trusted…!"

"Trusted…?" Ranma prompted, trying to get Kodachi to get continue. When the gymnast looked away, her lips pressed together, the pigtailed became annoyed. "Now, c'mon, Kodachi! Give us a break, okay?! We want to help you, but we can't do that unless you let us!"

"That's right," Dr. Tofu agreed as he sat down as well, pointedly ignoring Genma snorting from the other room. "Now, please, who is this person that your father trusted?"

Looking nervously at the two of them, Kodachi looked down at the floor before finally answering. "D-Dr. Pilaf…"

Dr. Tofu instantly shot out of his chair, his eyes wide with horror. "_W-what?!_ Your _father_ made you go to that – that _madman?!_"

While Kodachi was nodding shallowly, Ranma was looking at Dr. Tofu in confusion. "So…who's Dr. Pilaf?"

"A lunatic, and a complete disgrace to the medical community! I'll never understand how he got his license to practice medicine!" Dr. Tofu growled furiously. "In terms of his skills as a doctor, he's a genius, but he delighted in using those same skills to torture his patients!"

"_Torture?!"_ Ranma gaped, his eyes wide with disbelief, even as Genma cracked the door of the examining room open and peeked in.

"I should've realized it before! Those moxa marks! That's one of the things he loved to do!" Dr. Tofu growled hatefully. "He always claimed that people did things to deserve becoming sick or injured, so he'd apply moxabustion with far too much heat, claimed he was 'burning the evil' out of his patients! And that was just the _least_ of what he did!"

"_What?!"_ Ranma bellowed before looking at Kodachi in disbelief. "How can you go getting all weepy about somebody who made you go to a lunatic like _that?!"_

"As I said…" Kodachi got out, looking like her emotions were barely being restrained. "My father…was not a very wise man."

"Yeah, well, _that's_ putting it lightly!!" Ranma sneered. "And I thought _my_ old man was stupid!"

"Ranma…" Dr. Tofu murmured, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder, indicating Kodachi with his eyes. "Perhaps we should give Kodachi a moment or so to calm down."

"Huh? Oh, right…" Ranma replied nervously, not sure how to handle this situation. Weeping women weren't his forte. "Say, uh, Kodachi, why don't you just…relax for a little while, okay? Take it easy, and, uh…we'll be right back."

"What?" Kodachi gaped, as if shocked Ranma would be leaving.

Dr. Tofu saw this as well, and looked to Ranma. "Actually, Ranma, why don't you stay here with Kodachi?" When Ranma looked at the doctor in shock, the bespectacled medic leaned in close to whisper. "Ranma, please! If we leave Kodachi alone, she might run off or something! She seems a lot more comfortable with you around. And I'm finally starting to understand what is wrong with her! I might be able to help her, but I need _your_ help for that!"

"Uh…oh, okay…" Ranma finally replied, looking at the torn girl somewhat warily.

"Say, Kodachi, would you like something eat?" Dr. Tofu wondered cordially. "It wouldn't take me long to get some pork buns, or perhaps some dumplings?"

Kodachi blinked several times before responding. "Why…that's very…thoughtful…doctor…"

"Yeah, sounds great, Doc!" Ranma grinned.

"Good. I'll be back soon," Dr. Tofu replied as he exited the examination room. Then, focusing on his part-time helper, he frowned. "Mr. Saotome, I'm _very_ disappointed in you! What were you _thinking_ doing what you did earlier?!"

"That boy has no business chasing after some other girl!" Genma sneered, his arms folded across his chest. "If you just knew what Tendo and I have been dealing with, what with the way he and Akane have been quarreling…she's even been looking at some other boy!"

Sighing, Dr. Tofu frowned. "Look, I understand that it must be difficult, but surely the two of them will come around, and…"

"Why can't they just accept the engagement and get on with life?!" Genma grumbled, scowling disdainfully. "It's quite obvious how they feel about each other!"

"_No, it isn't!"_ Ranma shouted from the examination room.

"Mr. Saotome, please, now is not the time for this," Dr. Tofu sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Maybe later, I…"

"Excuse me?" came a quiet voice. As the two men looked about, their eyes widened at the sight of a tiny ninja perched in the window. "Dr. Tofu? How's Mistress Kodachi?"

"Very distraught, and apparently about a great deal," Dr. Tofu answered, recalling the ninja from when Ranma had first brought Kodachi to his clinic. She had called home to let him know of her injury, and he had soon arrived with a change of clothes to replace the bloodied leotard she had been wearing. "We've been talking to her about a lot of things, Sasuke, and frankly, I'm very troubled."

"What did she talk to you about?" Sasuke pressed, looking anxious.

At first, Dr. Tofu hesitated. Doctor/patient confidentiality was a matter he took _very_ seriously. Still, he was now presented with a convenient source of information regarding Kodachi, something that might give him a better idea as to what he was dealing with.

"She…told me about Dr. Pilaf," he replied quietly.

"She…she talked about _him?!_ She _actually_ discussed that awful man with you?! A _doctor?!_" Sasuke gaped, then tears appeared in his eyes. "Oh, blessings on this day! I had all but lost hope for the Mistress!"

"Sasuke…please, I really want to help Kodachi," Dr. Tofu murmured, moving closer to the window. "But I'm going to need more information. Please, if there's anything you can tell me, anything at all…"

"Oh, anything! I would do _anything_ to help the Mistress!" Sasuke exclaimed, his eyes feverish with excitement.

"Alright then, let's go for a walk," Dr. Tofu declared. "I promised her I'd bring back something to eat, and we can talk on the way."

"Certainly!" Sasuke enthused, falling instep behind Dr. Tofu.

"Oh, and Mr. Saotome?" the doctor intoned as he approached the door. "There better not be any trouble here while I'm gone…or I'll hold you responsible."

"I…!" Genma started to protest, but the doctor shut him down with a look. Gulping loudly as he sweated-dropped, the lazy warrior finally laughed nervously. "Oh, right! There won't be any trouble! Honest!"

"Good," Dr. Tofu answered sternly, and with that he was gone.

As for Genma, he frowned furiously before he returned to the examining room door and peeking into it. Scowling angrily, he could practically see his cozy retirement slipping away as Kodachi leaned on a nervous Ranma. The fact that the boy clearly wasn't enjoying himself was of no comfort to him. "I do apologize for my behavior earlier, Ranma-darling. It's just that…watching your father act that way brought back some…painful memories…"

"Well, hey, n-no problem…" Ranma got out. "The stupid old man had it coming anyway!"

_Stupid old man, eh?_ Genma thought furiously, scowling at the two of them. _I better come up with a backup plan, just in case things start falling apart._

* * *

_Alright…this time, for _sure_!_ Akane thought determinedly, looking at the ball in her hand like it was now her worst enemy. She had been at it for most of the day, working alone in the school gym, trying to energize the ball with her chi so that it would spin at high speed upon leaving her hand. But so far, her results had been mixed; either the ball wouldn't spin fast enough when she threw it, or it would suddenly fly out of her hand.

Having already gotten smacked three times that day as a result of such a misfire, Akane was now even more determined to master the Tadai Butoukai Sumasshu (Heavy Ball Smash). _I've already mastered every other technique Ryoga taught me. I can master this one, too!_

Taking several deep breaths, Akane focused on what Ryoga had told her. "I have to keep my grip loose. Just loose enough to let the ball move in my hand, but tight enough so that it doesn't take fly off too soon. And I can't move my hand to the sides; I always have to be pushing the ball forward." With that checklist more-or-less run through, Akane once again sent her chi into the ball. Once again, she felt it start to move about in her hand.

"Hey, Akane!" came Ryoga's voice, breaking her concentration. "How's it going?"

"Uh…slowly?" Akane got out. Though initially irritated by the interruption, she was still happy to see Ryoga. "I just can't to get the rotation right. I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

"Well...did you jump at the right time?" Ryoga wondered.

Blinking twice in quick succession, Akane looked at Ryoga blankly. "Jump? What do you mean, jump?"

"You mean you forgot?!" Ryoga wondered, looking at Akane in disbelief. Then, he looked away in confusion. "Or maybe…did I forget to tell you?"

"Tell me _what?"_ Akane wondered, her annoyance returning.

"Well, you see, you have to jump in order to get the momentum for the Sumasshu. Otherwise, the ball will fly out of your hand too soon, and…" Ryoga started, before noting the three large, red welts on Akane's body. "Oh, Akane, I…"

"No, it's alright, Ryoga," Akane grimaced, recalling his instructions. "You _did_ tell me about jumping. I just got so caught up in trying to get the ball to move right, that I forgot about that part!"

"Why don't you take a break, Akane?" Ryoga wondered. "Besides, the tournament is tomorrow! If you hurt yourself too badly…"

"I know," Akane admitted, frowning at the ball that was still in her hand before letting it fall to the floor. "It's just…I _really_ wanted to master that move."

"That's okay. I'm sure you'll do fine tomorrow, even without it!" Ryoga assured her. "After all, you've really been doing well lately."

Sighing wearily, Akane managed a smile. "Thanks, Ryoga," she murmured, taking a step forward…and felt her foot come down on soft rubber. Her eyes wide with shock, Akane fell forward…and found herself safe and secure in Ryoga's arms.

"Are you alright?!" Ryoga asked frantically, looking Akane right in the face.

"Uh, yeah, I am," she replied somewhat shakily. "That was close, though."

"You have to be more careful, Akane!" Ryoga stated firmly. "If you sprain something now, there's no way you'd be in shape to fight tomorrow!"

"Yeah, I know. Thanks," Akane got out as she pulled herself up, placing her hands on Ryoga's shoulders…and then just stopped as she looked at him. Her gaze locked with his own…and the two of them quickly blushed. Turning away and wrapping her arms about herself, Akane lowered her gaze to the floor. "Anyway…I'm so glad you were able to help me, Ryoga."

"O-oh, uh…n-no problem, Akane…" Ryoga fumbled nervously, running his hand through his hair. Then, somehow managing to his pulse down to something resembling normal levels, he sighed and said, "Well…why don't we take a break? You must be hungry, and with the tournament, you really should get some rest."

"Uh…right! Of course!" Akane smiled nervously, and with that, the two of them departed the gym.

* * *

"Well, Kodachi, I'm happy to say that you are completely fit, and ready for tomorrow!" Dr. Tofu announced. After a long time spent talking to the girl, eating and relaxing, and basically making her feel as comfortable as possible, he and Ranma had finally managed to get her to feel comfortable enough to allow him to examine her again. During the course of the examination, he had noted with a degree of sadness that she had watched every single move he had made like a wounded animal, almost frightened at the slightest touch.

"Well, of course, I am, doctor! I did say so earlier, didn't I?" Kodachi purred in response, standing just outside the door of the clinic. "See, Ranma? There really was no need for us to come here."

"Yeah, well…" Ranma spoke, unsure as to how to respond.

"Perhaps, but there's no harm in making sure, especially when it comes to such severe injuries. After all, I've devoted my life to helping people, whether by medical means or martial arts," Dr. Tofu explained. "I just hope that you realize that not all doctors are like Dr. Pilaf. After all, not all martial artists or gymnasts are the same, now are they?"

"Well…I suppose not…" Kodachi admitted hesitantly. "At the very least, you are certainly far more handsome than that dreadful man!"

"Ah…haha…" Dr. Tofu laughed nervously. "Anyway, please, if you ever have any problems, or if you just feel like talking to somebody, then please, feel free to stop by."

"I…thank you for the kind offer…doctor," Kodachi replied, before returning her attention to Ranma. "Oh, and Ranma-darling? I am _so_ looking forward to our time together…after I crush that arrogant little witch your father engaged you to!" Ranma didn't have the chance to say anything to this, for Kodachi brought out her ribbon and showered both him and the doctor with black rose petals, laughing maniacally as she leapt away.

"So…Doc, did we actually help her or what?" Ranma wondered, not seeing much difference in her behavior.

"Believe it or not, Ranma, we've actually made a lot of progress today," Dr. Tofu assured him as he turned and led the pigtailed boy back towards the clinic. "After what Dr. Pilaf did to her, the very fact that she was so open with me is a very good sign."

"You sure?" Ranma wondered.

"Definitely. I had a chance to talk with Sasuke. Her servant?" Ranma nodded to this, at which the doctor continued. "Apparently, Kodachi sugarcoated things somewhat when she told us about her father. Apparently, he was very abusive of both her and her brother. Humiliating her in public, pitting the two of them against each other, as well as many other forms of psychological abuse."

"_What?!"_ Ranma exploded. "You're kidding me! How the heck can even someone as twisted as Kodachi love a creep like _that?!"_

"Actually, I've seen things like this before. You see, Kodachi has basically convinced herself that she truly loves her father, as a way of surviving. It's easier for her to deal with him that way; it allows her to believe that she has control of what he does, that she _allows_ him to get away with what he does, rather than that she has no say in his behavior. And…it probably makes things easier for her, living in a family where love is hard to come by. Most likely, it's why she's attached herself to you so readily."

"Really? Huh," Ranma mused, crossing his arms behind his head. "Maybe this explains why Kuno is such a jerk."

"Oh? Does he act…desperate for love?" the doctor wondered.

"More like every girl is in love with _him!_" Ranma countered, rolling his eyes skyward.

"That makes sense," Dr. Tofu replied after a moment's thought. "He's trying to boost his own self-image, to convince himself that he _is_ worth loving and being cared for. Another form of survival."

"Whoa," Ranma moaned. "Aw, man, and I thought _my_ old man was bad!"

"Watch your tongue, boy!" Genma sneered from his seat. "And have you even thought about tomorrow? And what the madwoman might do to poor Akane?"

"I will admit that there _is_ a danger. Kodachi is _very_ obsessive, and as hurt as she is, there's no telling what she might do," Dr. Tofu admitted, concern shadowing his features. "However, this tournament _must_ have rules, right? And Kodachi must know that breaking any of them would potentially disqualify her. Everything should be fine, once the actual tournament is in progress."

"And if Kodachi wins?" Genma demanded.

"So what? It's just a tournament, right?" the doctor replied.

"Apparently not! Akane and Kodachi had decided to make Ranma the stakes of this match!" Genma sneered disdainfully. "How can you be such an ingrate, boy?! A perfect life and bride are all set up for you, and you turn them away for some lunatic like _Kodachi?!_"

"Hey, I never agreed to _nothing_, old man! As far as I'm concerned, this has _nothing_ to do me with, got it?!" Ranma snarled. "I really couldn't care less _who_ wins tomorrow! Either way, I don't have to do what they tell me to!"

"Why, you…!" Genma growled as lightning sparked between his eyes and those of his son.

"Alright, you two, that's enough!" Dr. Tofu scolded them both. "Now, Ramna, as I've said before, Akane is a very nice girl! Perhaps if you give things time…"

"Ha! Fat chance of that!" Ranma sniffed disdainfully, looking away from the doctor. "Besides, she already has her eyes on Ryoga, or didn't you know about that?"

"Huh? Akane and Ryoga?" Dr. Tofu wondered dumbly. "What about them?"

"Never! She's _your_ fiancée, Ranma!" Genma boomed, numerous veins popping out of his forehead. "It's your _duty_ to take a stand and defend her virtue from all others!"

"Oh, and here _I_ thought I was supposed to play _nice_ with Ryoga! You know, not fight him or anything like that!!" Ranma countered, his fists clenched hatefully. "Wasn't that the point of that big lecture Mr. Tendo gave us when he first moved in?!"

"Alright, you two, that's quite enough!" Dr. Tofu interjected, his quiet voice impacting on the two of them like a nuclear warhead. "Now, I agree with Ranma; whatever happens at the tournament, it's strictly between Akane and Kodachi. It really has no impact on him." As Ranma sniffed victoriously, the doctor continued. "However, Ranma, Genma does have a point. Whether you like it or not, Akane _is_ technically your fiancée. You should at least give your engagement to her the benefit of the doubt. And she _does_ deserve your support."

"That's right, boy! Now, put all those foolish thoughts out of your head already!" Genma declared officiously. Then, a somewhat sneaky look came upon his face. "Besides, you're the product of an arranged marriage, so you really have no right to complain about them."

"Huh?" Ranma started, looking at his father with wide eyes. "You mean…?"

"That's right! I was formally engaged to your mother by our parents, and I never once had a complaint about that arrangement!" Genma informed his son.

At this, Ranma smiled in a knowing manner. "Gee, I guess that explains how someone as ugly as you could ever get married in the first place! Though I _still_ don't get why anyone would want to have kids with you!" As shock and outrage exploded onto Genma's features, Ranma drove the final nail home. "So, what was the deal? Did Mom _have_ to have a kid to receive her inheritance or something?"

"_Why, you…!!"_ Genma snarled, too outraged to continue speaking even as Ranma made a quick exit through the window. Genma also made for the window, only to find that this particular exit was made unusable by his previous meal. The elder Saotome was left to frantically struggle with his girth, all the while screaming about his useless son.

* * *

Author's Notes: Yes, I know, not a lot happening in this chapter. Still, I hope you will all read and review. And maybe look at my other stories while you're at it?

This chapter was a real tough one for me. Eventually, it got to the point where I just didn't want to look at it anymore, and here it is. Next time, we'll finally get to the Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics tournament, where Dr. Tofu will realize that Genma's concerns are more legitimate than he realized!

Ryo-Chan wolfgirl, you're right about Soun and Genma being sniveling cowards. Genma is especially pathetic, which is why he is a permanent member of my Bad List. As for Ryoga's mom…let's wait and see, shall we?

AliKat12, Akane actually became quite proficient in the anime within a week's time, despite Ryoga getting lost for much of that time. So it seems to me that in this story, with his continued training, she would become much better.

Zoko, thanks for understanding. It's true, I'm just trying to show the different perspectives of the characters in this story.

fmriver, I hope this explains about the Kuno siblings. It sure makes sense to me.


	9. What do you mean, no rules?

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 9: "_What do you mean, no rules?!"_

As the sun peeked into her bedroom, Akane slowly awoke, and stretched, smiling as she became more awake. Taking a deep breath, the youngest Tendo looked out the window at the new day before her. "Today's the day," Akane said to herself, psyching herself up for what was to come. "The Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics tournament."

Getting out of bed, Akane looked at her wrists and ankles, at the weights they had born since she had started training with Ryoga. "Time to take these things off," she stated as she started removing them. "I'm going to need all of my strength for this match." As the weights fell to the floor, Akane smiled at how light and free her body now felt. "Alright! Just you wait, Black Rose! I'm going to make what you did to my friends look like nothing by the time I'm done!"

With that, Akane took a quick bath and made her way down for a light breakfast. _I better be careful. Don't want to fill up before the match! The last thing I need is a stomach cramp slowing me down!_

As everyone there ate, the two resident patriarchs exchanged meaningful looks. "So, the big day is finally upon us, eh?" Soun commented as he leafed through the morning paper, an edge of concern in his voice. When Akane nodded to this, he managed a smile. "Well, just be sure to do your best out there, and I'm sure you'll be just fine!"

"That's right! Ryoga's been a big help with training me!" Akane noted, drawing an annoyed glance from Ranma and two concerned ones from the fathers.

"Well…that's good," Soun replied, narrowing his eyes slightly. The rest of breakfast passed relatively quickly, and soon Akane, Ranma, and Ryoga were leaving for St. Hebereke High School. However, once they were gone and the two of them had some privacy, he leaned over next to Genma. "We can't let Akane lose, no matter what!"

"Right, Tendo! We better get moving," Genma replied, and with that the two warriors gathered up everything they thought they would need, and departed the house. Moving as quickly as they could, they made their way to St. Hebereke High School, making certain that there was no danger of them being sighted by their children. Once there, they made a few last minute preparations, completely unaware that they had fallen into a trap of a different sort…

* * *

"Well, hello there, Ranma-darling! It's always a pleasure to see you!" Kodachi cooed, placing her hands together before her, looking adorable and borderline-psychotic in her school uniform.

"Um, hi, Kodachi…" Ranma responded nervously, backing away slightly. The three of them had arrived at St. Hebereke, and Akane had just finished signing in for the match. Naturally enough, it hadn't taken long for them to run into the Black Rose. Despite everything that Dr. Tofu had said about Kodachi and her problems, the pigtailed warrior still felt uncomfortable about being in the presence of someone so unstable.

"So, Ms. Tendo…are you ready to lose both the match and Ranma-darling?" Kodachi inquired, glaring coldly at Akane.

The youngest Tendo bristled somewhat at Kodachi's statement, narrowing her eyes in hatred. "Forget it! There's no way I'd ever lose to _you!_"

"That's right! _You're _one who's going to lose!" Ryoga declared, baring his fangs as he clenched his fist.

"We'll see about that, won't we?" Kodachi replied, never once losing her perfect smile. Then, returning her attention to Akane, she stretched out her hand. "In any case, Ms. Tendo…may the better woman win."

"Count on it!" Akane replied gruffly, automatically reaching to take Kodachi's hand…only to have Ranma suddenly take hold of her wrist. "Hey! What the -?!"

"Akane, you might want to think about that," Ranma stated calmly, pointing at Kodachi's open hand. As she and Ryoga did as Ranma suggested, the two of them made noises of anger upon discovering the tacks placed between Kodachi's fingers.

"Hey!" Akane screeched.

"Why, you…!" Ryoga snarled, his hand wrapping about his umbrella.

"Oh, my goodness! However did _those_ get between my fingers?" Kodachi gasped, placing her other hand upon her cheek as she averted her eyes.

"Ooohh…forget this! Let's just get going! The sooner I get changed, the sooner we can the match going!" Akane snarled, stomping away from the Black Rose with steam billowing for her ears. Drops of sweat falling from their brows, Ranma and Ryoga looked at each other before following her.

"The changing room is clearly marked, dear. You can't miss it!" Kodachi called after her, smiling wickedly as the three of the disappeared from sight. Then, her smiling becoming deeper, she thought, _And it's a very nice room, Ms. Tendo. After all, it used to be mine. However, considering the circumstances, I think it's much better suited to your needs…and mine!_

* * *

"I can't believe that girl! You can't take your eyes off of her for a minute!" Akane snarled as they approached the gym, following the signs that marked the way. It wasn't long before they found the door marked 'Furinkan High challenger's changing room'. However, just as Akane was reaching out for the doorknob, Ryoga reached out and blocked her way.

"Hold it, Akane!" the fanged warrior stated firmly, staring at the door like it was on fire. "After what just happened, I don't think we should take any chances!" As Akane looked at Ryoga, she slowly frowned and nodded, at which point Ryoga slowly took hold of the doorknob, frowning as he turned it. Drawing his umbrella, the boy moved forward, edging his way into the room. He had had just stuck his head into the room when something buzzed in the back of his mind, warning him.

"Retribution!" two voices cried out at the same time, and before Ryoga could back away, two massive hammers came down upon his skull, smashing him into the ground!

"Ryoga! What happened?!" Akane demanded, throwing the door open the rest of the way…only to growl in outrage at the sight of Ryoga, lying prone on the ground, with Soun and Genma standing above him, holding the hammers that had brought the wandering boy down.

"What?" Genma started, looking from the unexpected audience to the boy he had just helped clobber.

"Oh," Soun added helpfully, sweat-dropping as his daughter glared balefully at them.

"And what are you two doing _here?!_" Akane demanded, her fists clenched with anger even as got down to examine Ryoga. "Are you okay, Ryoga? _Say something!"_

"A-Akane…what are you doing here?!" Soun wondered, looking like a little boy who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"That's what we'd like to know!" Ranma wondered, narrowing his eyes in disgust. "What were you planning to do, smash Akane's head in?"

"Of course not! We were waiting for…well, that is…" Genma sputtered, looking incredibly awkward as he turned to look at Soun. "I thought you said this was Kodachi's room!"

"It is! The sign on the door said so!" Soun declared before returning his attention to his daughter, who was exploding with metaphoric flames of hatred that were somewhat less metaphoric than either of them was comfortable with.

"In other words, you came here to ambush Kodachi, to make sure she couldn't compete in the tournament?!" Akane howled, out of her mind with fury. "Dad, how _could_ you?! That's the same sort of dirty trick that _she_ would pull!"

"Um, well…that is…!" Soun stammered, looking about as if in search for a quick exit. What he spotted instead was a bouquet of flowers. "Um, here, Akane! For my little girl!"

Sneering at the black roses that Soun had thrust in her face, Akane rammed them back into her father's face. "No, _thank you!"_ she shrilled, just as the flowers began shifting about, plumes of smoke erupting from them! Gasping in shock, Akane jumped away, even as Ranma looked down at the prone Ryoga, picked him up by the scruff of his shirt, and dragged him out of the room. Soon, the three teenage warriors were safely outside, slamming the door shut, even as wisps of gasp leaked out.

"Ugh…what happened…?" Ryoga asked dazedly, wincing as he moved to massage the two massive lumps now adorning his skull. As he struggled to get himself back together, Akane and Ramna were cracking open the door, and saw their fathers lying on the floor, snoring away.

"Sleeping gas?!" Akane gaped, frowning as she realized just how close they had come.

"Oh, I get it now!" Ranma gritted. "Kodachi must've noticed them setting up their little ambush, so she switched the signs on the doors! Guess she was hoping that those two wouldn't notice whose head they were busting up before it was too late. And if that didn't work, the gas would!" Then, looking down at Ryoga, who was still groaning in pain, he quirked a smile. "Well, I guess its good thing you decided to go first, Ryoga. That thick head of your can handle just about anything!"

"Ranma!" Akane growled even as Ryoga struggled to get back to his feet. "Well, I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to change. I can't get dressed with _those_ two around!"

"Right. Let's just find a bathroom or something and get this done with," Ranma decided, something that they all agreed with.

* * *

A few minutes later, Ranma and Ryoga were standing guard outside of the girls' bathroom, making sure that nobody disturbed Akane while she changed into her leotard. "Ugh, those idiots…!" Ryoga growled somewhat as he felt his injury.

"Yeah, you ain't kidding. Getting all bent out of shape because of that stupid bet," Ranma agreed casually. "Kinda reminds of someone else I know…"

"Oh, yeah? Who?" Ryoga wondered absentmindedly. When Ranma just smiled, Ryoga's eyes went wide at the sudden realization. "Hey, now what's that supposed to mean?!"

"You know exactly what I mean, Ryoga! Following me all the way China, just because of that stupid Bread Feud! That wasn't exactly the smartest thing you've ever done, you know!"

Sniffing, Ryoga looked away from his fellow cursed martial artist. "Believe me, if I'd known that I'd wind up falling into that stupid spring, I'd have thought twice about it!"

"Yeah, I bet you would've," Ranma responded easily, thinking of how much he would like to take back his own stupidity; following his father around in China when the old man didn't speak a word of Chinese! "Still, man, I don't get why you made such a big deal out of it! So you didn't get some piece of bread that you wanted. What's the big deal? I mean, there were plenty of times when _I_…what? What is it?" Ranma faltered, looking at the stunned expression adorning Ryoga's face. "Hey, what's the matter? You spacing out on me or something?"

"You really don't get it, do you?" Ryoga intoned, staring at his rival in disbelief. When Ranma's response was just to stand there in stupefied silence, the fanged warrior quickly boiled over with anger. "It was never _about_ the bread, _you moron!!"_

"Huh?" Ranma got out, one eye practically closing in his surprise. "Well, wait a minute, what do you mean, 'It was never about the bread'? If that wasn't what you were so mad about, then what was it?!"

"It was _you_ using my head as springboard in order to _get_ the bread, you idiot!!" Ryoga roared furiously. "What, did you think I _enjoyed_ have your footprints on my head after lunch?! Or trying to get something to eat, only to see your foot coming at me from out of nowhere?! Or having the other guys laughing their heads off at me for it?! Huh? _Did you?!"_ Fuming over the indignity that suddenly seemed fresher and more painful than ever, Ryoga leaned even closer to Ranma. "_I _wasn't the one looking for a fight, Saotome! _You're_ the one who made lunch into one!"

"I…well…" Ranma faltered, honestly surprised. He had never even considered that possibility; just getting enough food to survive had been tough during his life, and he had learned at a very early age to do whatever he needed in order to feed himself, with his next meal very often on his mind. "Well…hey, c'mon! Do you know how much I had to fight Pops, just so that I could eat?! Or how many times I didn't have anything at all while he was dragging me around on that stupid training journey?!"

"Yeah, well, just because your father is an idiot, doesn't mean you should take it out on me!" Ryoga snarled before looking away again. "Honestly, how that jerk can live with himself…"

Ranma was wondering whether or not he should say something to that, but it was then that he noticed the door to the bathroom opened and Akane exited it. The boys turned to see her wearing a yellow leotard and a white headband. "Okay, I'm ready! Sorry to make you two wait!"

"O-oh, that's okay, Akane…!" Ryoga answered nervously, turning red as he slowly looked away from her.

"Are you _sure_ you want to go through with this, Akane?" Ranma asked, some of his earlier concerns returning. "I'm telling you, there's no way you're ready to take on Kodachi after just one week of training!"

"There's no way I'm backing out now, Ranma! Not after everything she's done to my friends!" Akane countered instantly, her face taking on an incredible intensity. Then, her eys flashed with sadistic amusement. "Besides, have you forgotten? If I lose, _you'll_ have to go out with Kodachi!"

"Hmph! As if!" Ranma snorted, looking away as he did. "Like I said before, this whole stupid bet has nothing to do with me!"

"Well, if that's how you feel about it…" Akane sniffed as she turned away and started walking towards the gym. The two boys took a moment to look at each other, and soon were following close behind.

* * *

"Ladies and gentleman, do we have a treat for you!" a voice echoed throughout the gym. As Akane looked at the source of the voice, a girl seated at a desk near the ring with a microphone in hand, she frowned as the announcer continued. "As impossible as it may seem, we will actually have a match today! For the very first time, the challenger has actually made it here today, as opposed to canceling due to sudden illness!"

_Sudden illness?! As if! You _know_ why none of the other challengers were able to make it!_ Akane fumed. Then, getting back to business, she looked at Ranma. "Listen, why don't you go get a seat in the stands? That way, you'll have a great view when I take care of Kodachi!"

"Oh, yeah?" Ranma answered, annoyed at being dismissed so readily. "And what about Ryoga?"

"Ryoga's my second," Akane explained. When Ranma narrowed his eyes in confusion, she smiled easily. "Remember? That's who sends you the tools you need during the match."

"Right, and seeing as my mother is an expert on Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, well…I'd say I'm the perfect man for the job!" Ryoga grinned, enjoying the frustration he was seeing in Ranma's face.

"Yeah, sure, perfect," Ranma retorted. "The only thing that could make you even better was if you weren't such a pig!"

"_What'd you just say?!"_ Ryoga snarled, baring his fangs in sudden fury.

"Alright, that's enough out of the both of you!" Akane snapped, looking at the boys like she wanted to send them both to their rooms. "C'mon, Ryoga, let's get ready." With that, the two of them went to their corner of the ring. Ranma just stood there for a moment, watching as Ryoga began setting out the various tools Akane would be using, which were color-coded so as not to be confused with Kodachi's.

"Fine. See if I care," Ranma finally sniffed as he made his way to the stands. "Man, can get this get any worse?"

"Ah, Akane Tendo, to be greeted by your lovely form, set to its full majesty by your golden leotard…" Wincing at the all-too familiar voice, Ranma looked around, and found himself staring incredulously at Tatewaki Kuno, who was sitting on the stands like he owned then entire building, his fingers tense around his wooden sword. "Already, my blood begins to boil with the passion of love, a passion that would allow to move about unscathed in the very fires of Hell!"

Groaning as Kuno's romantic drivel settled into his stomach and began to burn, Ranma looked away and did his best to ignore him. _I had to ask,_ was all he could think at this point.

While Ranma was wondering what he could have possibly done to deserve all of this grief, Akane was stepping into the ring, with Ryoga close behind her, grimacing at the announcer's constant yammering. "Let's have a warm welcome for this challenger who showed so much heart in coming here today. Representing Furinkan High School, let's have a warm welcome for Akane Tendo!" As the audience started applauding, the announcer continued. "Let's all give a very warm welcome for her second, Ryoga Hibiki. I've been told that he's the son of Koriko Hibiki, the five-time Martial-Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics national champion!"

While Ryoga was blushing somewhat at the applause this garnered him, Akane looked about at her supporters, but soon found herself puzzled. _Wait a minute, where's Kodachi?_ she wondered, seeing no sign of the maniacal gymnast. Her corner was all set up with all the tools she would need, and another girl in a green leotard was in position to be her second, but there was no sign of the Black Rose herself.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, here comes the reigning champion of St. Hebereke High School, that rising star of the gymnastics world we all know as…Kodachi the Black Rose! Doesn't she looked cute in that outfit?" At this, Akane looked around some more, but still saw nothing. Then, she saw several spotlights arching upwards, and when she followed them, she groaned in dismay.

"Ugh, gimme a break…" Akane groaned, for Kodachi was perched on a trapeze that was slowly being lowered down to the arena, garbed in a splendid wedding gown.

While Akane was shaking her head at the incredible arrogance that Kodachi was displaying, a series of cannons fired, sending small fireworks into the air around her. "Talk about full of yourself! She's worse than Ranma!" Ryoga growled, but then his eyes went wide as one of the fireworks didn't shoot all the way up. Instead, it began streaking down towards them! "Akane, _get down!!"_ Ryoga commanded, grabbing her and turning her away from the oncoming projectile. He was just in time, for the moment the rocket impacted, it sent up a massive explosion right where they had been standing!

"Whoa! And Kodachi loses no time in starting the match off with an ambush! Isn't she clever?" the announcer yammered on.

_I'm going to shove that microphone down your throat!_ Akane thought hatefully as Kodachi landed on the ground.

"Good day to you, Miss Tendo!' Kodachi cooed with a sickening sweetness. "I hope we'll be able to fight in all fairness today."

"_Fair?!"_ Akane raged as she got to her feet, Ryoga close behind her. "What's _fair_ about trying to blow me up?!"

"Oh, come now, Miss Tendo, didn't the referee explain the rules to you?" Kodachi asked before turning her deathly gaze to the girl who was dressed for the part.

"I was just going to," the girl answered nervously. Then, clearing her throat, she looked at both combatants. "Now, in keeping with the rules of Rhythmic Gymnastics, the both of you must use tools at all times. Also, the match will go on until one of you touches the floor, gives up, or can't continue. If either of you is knocked down, I will start a ten count. If you are unable to stand by the time I count to ten, the match will be over." As Akane and Ryoga nodded their understanding, the ref looked at Kodachi, who also nodded. "Now, as for the actual rules of conduct for this match…there are none. It's anything-goes."

"What?" Akane got out as she looked at the ref in disbelief. Then, her features hardening with anger, she snarled, "What do you mean, _no rules?! _You mean you're just going to let her get with trying to blow me up?!"

The ref shrugged. "Sorry. As long as she uses tools, it's legal. A bomb qualifies as a legal tool."

"That's right," Kodachi purred while Akane fought the urge to strangle the ref. "Why, Miss Tendo, don't tell you're actually considering forfeiting the match? After everyone came out to see you?"

"Oooh…forget it!" Akane snarled, clenching her fists. "There's no way I'd ever back down to some like you!"

"If you say so," the pony-tailed girl smirked, completely unconcerned. "It's not like it will actually make any difference to me. After all…I will still be the winner in the end."

* * *

It wasn't long before everyone was in their places, and Akane and Kodachi had squared off, ready to begin the match in proper. "Kodachi, are you ready?" the ref asked, to which Kodachi nodded, brandishing a rope that she was twirling about in her left hand. "Akane, are you ready?" At this, Akane also nodded, wielding a club in one hand and a club in the other. "Alright, then…begin!"

As the ref went to the side of the ring, determined to stay as far away from the action as possible, Kodachi smiled wickedly before looking out at the audience. "Oh, Ranma-darling?" As the pigtailed boy in question looked up at the twisted gymnast, she continued. "Please, be patient. There are so many things I want to do with you, and I promise…I will make it worth the wait!"

While Ranma gulped unhappily, Kodachi charged Akane, wielding the rope like it were a sword. The short-haired girl quickly parried with her club, holding Kodachi at bay while she charged the ball with her chi. She quickly threw the ball at Kodachi, but the twisted gymnast saw it coming and narrowly evaded the attack, jumping back a short distance before coming after Akane again. _What's going on?! This rope feels as strong as steel! Is Kodachi using some kind of Iron Cloth technique?! _Akane wondered as she once again parried, knocking Kodachi back again.

"Akane!" Ryoga called out, and as Akane got a short distance from her opponent, she saw Ryoga tossing her a rope. Quickly snatching it up, she channeled her spirit into it as she twirled it about, making it as strong as steel and rendering in the shape of a sword as well.

"Alright, Kodachi, let's see how you like this!" Akane challenged, charging in with the rope. With Kodachi parried with her own, the two tools clashed together with a loud clang. Kodachi's eyes went wide as her rope was severed, leaving her holding a stump while the rest was sent flying. Thrilling to the horrified look in her opponent's eyes, Akane was then distracted when she saw the metallic rod sticking out of the rope.

"A steel bar?!" Akane screeched in outrage, giving her adversary just enough time to smack her in the forehead with what remained.

"Wow, a steel bar disguised a rope! That's the champion for you; always thinking!" the announcer called out.

"Are you crazy?! That freak is nothing but a cheating coward!" Ryoga snarled in response. He was considering tell her what she could do with her microphone, but he had other things to worry about. Kodachi's second had just sent her a ball, and if it was anything like that rope, then he knew it would have some nasty surprise. "Akane! Here!"

Looking over her shoulder, Akane saw the ribbon flying towards her. Taking hold of the tool, Akane watched as Kodachi leapt skyward, and threw the ball at her. Not wanting the ball to get close, Akane threw her club at it shortly after it left Kodachi's hand, and was startled when it exploded!

"A bomb with a ball in it?!" Akane shrilled, narrowing her eyes hatefully as Kodachi came down to land before her. "I don't believe this!! Don't you have _anything_ but dirty tricks to back you up?!"

"There's nothing dirty about this! After all, I _am_ using legal tools, am I not?" Kodachi answered in a hurt tone of voice.

"And just who wrote the rulebook, anyway?! _You?_" Akane snarled, wanting nothing more than to just finish Kodachi off already. _Just standing in the same ring as her is making me feel dirty!_

"Hmph. You dare to mock me? I am the rising star of the gymnastics world!" Kodachi smirked superiorly as her second tossed her a ribbon. "You want to see skill, do you? Then let's see just how well you handle…this!" With that, Kodachi twirled her ribbon about and sent it flying at the announcer's table, wrapping it about a bell, which she then whipped at Akane!

"Alright! Two can play at that game!" Akane sneered while the announcer was commenting on Kodachi's maneuver for all of those in the cheap seats. Doing a quick roll to avoid the bell, she quickly scanned the area for something to latch onto. Spying an empty chair, the short-haired girl sent her ribbon at it, snaring it effortlessly, before lashing it at Kodachi.

"Please! What a crude attempt!" Kodachi countered, countering by sending the bell at the chair, the two objects smashing into each other, leaving the ribbon's tangled in the wreckage. While Akane tried to free her tool from the collision, Kodachi's second sent her a pair of clubs. Realizing her blunder almost too late, Akane released the ribbon and jumped away just as Kodachi rushed her with the clubs, spikes appearing from them as they drew close!

"I don't believe this! Referee, are you even looking?!" Ryoga snarled at this latest exchange, relieved as Akane managed to keep her distance. "Spikes in her clubs?! Ball with bombs?! Rigged ropes?! There's no _way_ that's all legal!!"

"Sorry. As long as she uses tools, it's legal," the referee answered, causing Ryoga to growl hatefully.

"Is it's tools you want, then it's tools you'll get!" Akane smiled, readying herself for the next exchange. "Ryoga! I need a ribbon and a hoop!"

"Right!" Ryoga answered, grabbing up the requested items and throwing them. Akane did a quick back flip before turning about to catch them.

_We sure make a good team!_ Akane thought, thankful for all the time Ryoga had spent helping her practice. Then, endowing the hoop with her chi, Akane flung it at Kodachi. The older gymnast effortlessly dodged the attack, eager to press her advantage with the rigged clubs. Grunting in annoyance, Akane sent her ribbon flying at the pony-tailed woman, the yellow fabric of her tool sliding just to the right of her opponent's head.

"How pathetic! You can't even hit what you're aiming for!" Kodachi snickered, swinging her spikes clubs mercilessly as Akane leapt back, pulling hard on the ribbon as she did so.

"Wrong! I hit _exactly_ the right target!" Akane grinned, taking delight in the confused look this generated on Kodachi's face. Her opponent's eyes narrowed in confusion, but then widened in realization as she took note of the ribbon that was becoming less taut. At the last moment, Kodachi turned about, and saw the hoop Akane had thrown and subsequently snared baring down upon her. Gasping in horror, the Black Rose ducked, even as Akane dropped the ribbon and signaled Ryoga for a new tool.

_That should keep her busy!_ Akane thought as her second sent her a pair of clubs. With Kodachi distracted, off-balance, it would be easy to find an opening. Then she heard a gasp of horror, and looked up at her opponent…only to be frozen in surprise.

The hoop she had brought back towards Kodachi hadn't hit her directly; she had been nimble enough to avoid such a strike. However, the deranged gymnast hadn't been able to get the entirety of her body out of the way. Something that was evidenced by the tuft of black hair that fluttered down to the arena floor, the red line of blood that now decorated her cheek.

Looking on in fascinated horror, Akane watched as Kodachi shuddered from where she knelt on the floor. Her face was trembling uncontrollably with rage as she looked down at the severed ponytail, something that was made even worse as she brought her hand up to her cheek, then lifted it away to examine the results. "My…my _hair!_ M-my _face! My lovely face!"_ the Black Rose shrieked, her eyes blazing hatefully as she locked gazes with Akane.

_Oops,_ Akane thought as she sweat-dropped, horrified by the madness that had erupted in Kodachi.

_This is bad,_ Ranma knew, recalling the fiasco when Ryoga had accidentally lopped off a portion of Akane's hair. _No _way_ Kodachi's going to let Akane get away with just a slap on the face!_

"_You…!" _Kodachi growled hatefully, her eyes burning with insane rage. "How _dare_ you sully the perfection of my face!" Quickly getting to her feet, Kodachi automatically signaled her second for a tool. As soon as a new ribbon was secure in her hand, the Black Rose stared pure hatred at Akane. "For this affront, Miss Tendo…I shall make you suffer pain beyond imagining! By the time I'm done, you'll wish I'd crippled you a long time ago…for that would be nothing in comparison to what you are about to endure!"

* * *

Author's Notes: There's an old saying about Hell having no fury like a woman scorned…or who has just gotten her face messed up! Please, read and review! And hopefully, you'll check out some of my other stories.

Ryo-Chan Wolfgirl, I'm glad you liked that scene with Ranma and Genma. I didn't see that episode, but that wouldn't surprise me. As for Akane…the youngest Tendo very rarely gets a chance to strut her stuff in battle, often being overshadowed by the other fiancées. I just figured it would be interesting to put her in a situation where she could prove her strength.

AliKat12, I'm not sure if this is going to be a Ranma/Kodachi fic. I haven't planned that far ahead. Kodachi is going to have a lot of things to work out of her system before she's fit company. Besides…are we forgetting about a certain Amazonian wrecking-ball that will be arriving in a couple chapters?

Anyway, until next time!


	10. A Smashing Defeat

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 10: A Smashing Defeat

The air between Akane and Kodachi crackled with tension as the two of them stared at each other, the youngest Tendo girl in awe of the crazed hatred now pouring from the twisted gymnast. Her eyes were went from the Black Rose's ponytail, which now lay on the floor of the gym, then to the bright, red cut decorated her face, and uncontrollable rage seething behind her eyes.

_This is gonna get so ugly, _Ranma thought unhappily from the sidelines, wondering what, if anything, he could do. On the one hand, he didn't want Akane to lose, or even to get beaten up. _But..if I try to get involved in this mess, I'll bet they'll disqualify Akane, and then I'll be stuck with Kodachi! And problems or not, I'm not ready to be stuck with any girl yet!_

While Ryoga stood at Akane's corner, trying to figure out what to do or which tools to send her, Kodachi stood up straight, and held out her left hand, which was still streaked with her blood. "Akane Tendo…prepare to suffer a death far beyond anything in your worst nightmares! Fujiko!"

"Uh, yes, Captain?" replied Kodachi's corner, the same girl who had been spying on the Tendo dojo.

"I've let this match drag out for far too long! It's time to break out my specialty tools!" Kodachi declared.

At her words, a hush rippled through the crowd, with the St. Hebereke fans growing quiet with widened eyes. The commentator's jaw dropped, and even the referee looked grim. As for Fujiko, she just stared at the Black Rose like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "The…_specialty _tools?! Captain…are you sure about that?!"

"You heard what I said!" Kodachi snarled viciously, never once taking her eyes off of Akane. "Now do what I tell you…_or else!!"_

Clearly knowing what 'or else' entailed better than the rest of the people there, Fujiko immediately paled before going into action. "Right away, Captain!" she responded, ducking down. From Ranma's position in the stands, he could see the girl opening up a box that was filled to overflowing with various objects.

"A ball!" Kodachi ordered. Her second instantly complied, hurling one of the rubber spheroids everyone had learned to associate with trouble to the Black Rose. Taking hold of the ball, Kodachi then smiled viciously at Akane. "Now, Ms. Tendo…your end is at hand!" Leaping into the air, the crazed gymnast hurled the ball…right past Akane!

"What the…?!" the youngest Tendo got out as she looked over her shoulder, only to gasp in horror when she saw the ball slam into Ryoga! The ball erupted in a monstrous explosion that was several times more powerful than those of before. The force of the blast knocked Akane down to the mat, driving the breath from her lungs. After several moments dazed, she managed to recover. Getting back to her feet, she ran to the ropes and stared at the carnage in horror.

Ryoga had been knocked back against the wall, and was apparently unconscious, with both his clothes and skin burned. The table that had held her tools had been destroyed, and the tools themselves with either shattered or scattered well out of reach.

"Ryoga!" she cried out, eyes widening in horror as she looked at the boy's tattered form. "Are you alight?!"

"You really should keep your mind on the battle, Ms. Tendo!" came Kodachi's voice from behind. Before Akane had a chance to react, the Black Rose darted in, hurling manacles at Akane that clamped shut about her ankles!

"What the -?!" Akane screeched in outrage. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Cementing my victory!" Kodachi smirked deviously. "Just look around, dear! Your corner man looks like he's had better days, as have your tools!"

As she processed Kodachi's words, rage wrote itself across Akane's features. "You…attacked Ryoga…just to get at me and my tools?! How _dare _you!!"

"What? You honestly expected me to let that miserable swine go unpunished for what he did to me before?" Kodachi smirked. "Now, as for you…it's time for you to pay for disfiguring me in front of Ranma-darling!"

"Don't bet on it!" Akane growled, balling up her left hand in frustration as she examined the contents of her right. _All I have left is this ribbon…and the hoop on the end. I have to make my next move count! _With that thought, Akane darted to the side of the ring, whipping her ribbon so as to draw in the hoop. Grabbing the second tool, the Tendo girl took a battle-ready stance, and prepared to launch into an attack.

Sneering at Akane, Kodachi stuck two of her fingers in her mouth, and let loose a birdcall. Narrowing her eyes in confusion, Akane then yelped as her feet were suddenly pulled out from under her!

"What's going on?!" Akane demanded, her disbelief growing as something unseen began pulling on her legs, dragging her across the mat!

"And now that you're thoroughly occupied…!" Kodachi grated, wielding a new ribbon, this one with a thicker handle than was normal. Whipping it at Akane, the crazed gymnast scored a direct hit on her opponent. Akane cried out in agony as arcs of electricity were sent shooting through her body!

"Arghh!!" Akane screeched, convulsing as she lost hold of her tools as she continued to be dragged across the mat.

"Aw, what's wrong, Ms. Tendo? Don't you appreciate my taser ribbon? A bit too…shocking for you tastes?" Kodachi taunted mercilessly, even as she tossed the weapon aside. "Then perhaps my clubs will be a bit more to your liking?"

"You…big cheat!" Akane spat, even as Kodachi's second sent her the requested tools. _What am I supposed to do now? If only Ryoga…_

* * *

"Wow! Captain Kuno must really be mad to break out her specialty tools," a girl commented around grunts of effort.

"Tell me about it!" another commented. "And this match is really taking long! She should have won by now!"

"C'mon, you two! Less talk, more action!" a third berated the other two as they crawled about in the darkness beneath the ring. In their hands they held a large magnet up against the cloth of the ring, drawing along with it the manacles that held Akane captive. "We have to make sure that the Captain wins! For the honor of St. Hebereke!"

"Right!" the other two cried out, even as the other girls beneath the ring watched, silently rooting Kodachi on.

"That's right! We'll make sure that no-good Furinkan girl doesn't win!" another of Kodachi's minions grinned, holding up a flashlight to her face. "All those who dare oppose Captain Kuno shall be doomed!"

"Stop, please! You're scaring me!" one other girl whined.

* * *

"Hey! Ryoga! Wake up, already! Ryoga!" Ranma urged, prodding Ryoga's shoulder as his attention swiveled from the fallen warrior to the match and back again.

_What the heck is going on?! _Ranma wondered, watching as Akane struggled to get back to her feet, only to be constantly thwarted as she was dragged about the ring. _There has to be something under the ring! That's the only possibility!_

"Ughh…" Ryoga groaned as he leaned forward, rubbing the back of his head as he slowly cleared the stars and comets from his head. "What the hell…?!"

"Kodachi hit you with one of her ball bombs, man," Ranma quickly explained, even as the match took another turn for the worse. "Seriously, you're lucky to be in one piece after that!"

"Now, Ms. Tendo…prepare to die!!" Kodachi snarled, taking deadly aim with her clubs. Depressing a hidden trigger, she sent tongues of ravenous flame shooting at Akane!

"You're kidding!!" Ranma gaped, even as Akane barely managed to jerk out of harm's way.

"Akane! You have to get away from her!!" Ryoga cried out desperately.

"I can't!!" Akane called back, wiggling about on the floor of the ring. "I'm stuck to the floor!!"

"That's right, Ms. Tendo. Now, hold very still, and I'll try to make this as quick and painful as possible!" Kodachi vowed, holding up her other club…which then sprouted a sharp dagger.

"Look at the! Champion Kuno's specialty tools are once again turning up the heat on the competition!" the announcer yammered mindlessly. "Aren't we lucky that flamethrowers are legal tools?"

"_Oh, shut up!!" _Akane howled hatefully, flames virtually shooting from her eyes as she struggled to get to her feet. "I swear, the second I get out of here, I'm gonna beat the crap out of you, just before I deal with Kodachi!"

"How amusing. You mean to say that you actually think you still have a chance of winning?" Kodachi grinned mockingly. "Well, dear, since it seems you still have a little fight left in, I guess I'll just have to beat you that much harder in order to break it!"

"Aw, man! I can't believe this is happening!" Ranma growled, clenching his fists helplessly. "What's Akane supposed to do without any tools, anyway?!"

"Nothing, Ranma-darling! That's the whole point!" Kodachi answered, casting an icy-cold glare at him. "Now, if you'll excuse me…I have to crush this impudent little wench before we can finally have our moment together…!"

"Forget about that, you maniac!!" Ryoga shouted off to Ranma's right. When the pigtailed martial-artist looked at his fellow warrior in confusion, his eyes widened at the sight of the ribbon in his hand.

"Ryoga! Where'd you get…?!" Ranma started, only to realize where Ryoga had found this new tool. The many bandanas that he normally wore on his head were gone, and were now tied end-to-end to a baton from one of the ruined ribbons.

While Ranma was wondering how Ryoga could have had the brainpower to cook up something like this, his rival was looking towards the match. "You want tools, then here! Akane! Catch!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Kodachi snarled, aiming at the new tool with her flamethrower club! As a fresh wave of fire spat out from it, dousing the impromptu tool in destruction, the Black Rose smiled at her handiwork. Only to frown in confusion as the heavy ribbon fell from the flame unscathed, landing safely in Akane's hand!

"Thanks, Ryoga!" Akane smiled shooting him a dazzling grin. The she shot a nasty glare at her opponent. "Sorry, Kodachi, but it looks like my new ribbon is just a little too tough to be bothered by your dirty tricks!"

"You call that ugly thing a ribbon?!" Kodachi screeched in disbelief, brandishing her dagger club. "I'll turn into dish rag!!"

"Don't bet on it!" Akane snarled. Sending her new ribbon at Kodachi, the many bandanas snaking about her legs and entangling them. With a sharp jerk, Akane pulled the Black Rose off of her feet. "Now…let's see what we can do…about _this!!" _Crying out in rage, Akane sat up, and pounded her fist into the floor beneath her shackled legs. There was a loud metallic thud as something beneath the mat fell to the ground. Quickly swinging her legs up, Akane faulted up from the mat, and leapt to the corner.

"You blasted cretin! Using that hideous excuse for a tool!" Kodachi howled in outrage. "You're nothing but an insult to all true athletes!"

"Compared to what?! _You?!"_ Akane snarled, drawing up her ribbon. "I swear, I'm going to beat you, just for being such a lowdown cheat!!"

"As if you even could!!" Kodachi gritted, attacking with the flamethrower club.

Before the fresh spout of fire could reach her, Akane twirled the ribbon at the announcer, snatching her from her seat! "Hey, wait a minute -!" she squawked indignantly as she flew into the air and ended up right in the path of the blaze. For several seconds, Akane was shielded from the deadly attack by the mouthy commentator!

When the blaze finally subsided, Akane tossed the announcer aside, who now looked a good deal crispier. As she fell to the side of the ring, she muttered into her microphone, "But…that's not…fair…"

"Sorry. Commentators are legal tools," the referee informed her in her standard monotone.

"Oh, shut up," the announcer muttered before falling unconscious.

"Hmph! I've wanted to do _that_ since the match started!" Akane declared with deep satisfaction. Then turning her attention to Kodachi, she sneered. "And as for you, Black Rose, it's time I showed you what a _real _martial artist looks like!"

"Oh, really? Then, please, come down off that pole…and show me," Kodachi cooed maliciously, readying her clubs for renewed battle.

_Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? Then you could trap me again with whatever you've got beneath the ring! _Akane snarled mentally, carefully scanning her surroundings. _But…I don't have anything to cut these manacles off with, and if I don't get off the pole, I can't fight! So… _

Even as this thought ran its course, Akane spotted something on the floor just beyond the ring, and knew that she had one chance. Just one last opportunity to win. Releasing her ribbon, Akane soon ensnared the ball, and reeled it, catching it easily.

"Oh, I'll show you, alright!" Akane declared. "I'm finishing this match! Right here and now!!"

"No way…she can't be thinking of…" Ryoga muttered, staring in astonishment at Akane.

"Sure looks like it," Ranma replied, a deathly wariness clutching him.

"But she's not ready!!" Ryoga responded, his voice lowering. "We never got past the second step!"

"I guess there's just one thing we can do, man," Ranma muttered. "So if you know any good chants, now's the time!"

Before everybody's eyes, Akane held up the ball, and channeled her chi into it, setting the ball in motion. At first, it spun about slowly, but then gained greater speed with each passing second. Gathering up her ribbon, Akane coiled her legs, looking up at the rafters, noting the beams high above her. Then, with one final look at Kodachi, Akane smiled vindictively. "Get ready, Kodachi! This is then end for you!" she cried out, even as she leapt into the air, moving the ball in a perfect arc. "Take this!! Tadai Butoukai…Sumasshu (Heavy Ball Smash)!!"

With this, Akane sent the ball shooting toward the center of the ring, just behind Kodachi. As the spiraling ball tore through the fabric, Akane let the ribbon fly, snaring one of the beams above her.

"Hey!! What in the…?!" one of Kodachi's minions who had been hiding beneath the ring screeched as the ball impacted into the floor right before her, spinning with such intensity that it flattened out against the floor. Before the girls could register the growing heat the ball created, the ball shot off, flying into the stomach one of the girls! As she flew backwards, screaming in pain, the ball ricocheted into another gymnast, and then a third, and a fourth!

As the majority of the St. Hebereke's gymnastics teams were being torn apart by the Tadai Butoukai Sumasshu, Kodachi was taking hold of a ribbon. Like Akane, she leapt upwards and snared one of the beams in the roof, just before the intense heat and constant rebounding of the ball caused the ring to explode, the fabric being completely torn apart! Gymnasts were sent flying in every direction, only to crash into the walls and the bleachers!

Several members of the audience cried out as leotard-clad girls came crashing down upon them. "I'm sorry, young maiden, but I'm afraid my heart belongs to another," Kuno said in a gentlemanly tone when the referee came crashing down in his lap, completely unconscious. Then he was rendered unconscious as well when a huge magnet came crashing down on his head.

As the carnage finally came to a halt, and gymnasts were strewn all over the place, bruised, battered, and unconscious, Ryoga looked in astonishment at what remained of the ring. "Unreal! Akane…she did it!"

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet, Ryoga! Look!" Ranma cautioned, pointing up into the air. As Ryoga looked up into the air, he was stunned to see Kodachi handing from the roof, even as Akane was.

"But…how?! How'd she get away in time?!" Ryoga demanded. "That never happened when Mom used it in her matches!!"

"Yeah, well, I don't think your mom had a bunch of gymnasts beneath the ring in her matches, either!" Ranma returned, gesturing at the gym, and the tattered remnants of St. Hebereke's gymnastics team. "See? The ball must've spent so much time smashing into them, it gave Kodachi enough time to get away!"

"Then…what now?" Ryoga wondered, looking up at the contestants in confusion. He was not reassured when Ranma failed to answer.

* * *

"Well, Ms. Tendo. I must admit, I never would have expected a technique like that from a novice like you," Kodachi smirked hatefully as she hung from her ribbon, dangling a couple meters away from Akane. "Your Tadai Butoukai Sumasshu was fairly impressive. A pity you managed to destroy virtually everything but your intended target!"

As Akane grimaced, she looked about the gym below. "Yeah, and I think I know what went wrong with it," she growled, having reached the same conclusion as Ranma. "Too bad your team had to take the beating I hoped you'd get."

Cackling maniacally, Kodachi drilled the Tendo girl with a hateful gaze. "It doesn't matter. After all, once I'm done destroying you, they'll have plenty of time to recover. It's not like they'll actually have to compete in the next competition," the Black Rose gloated.

_In other words, you're planning on back to crippling your opponents, just the way you tried with me, _Akane growled mentally, her grip tightening on her ribbon. "Forget it, Kodachi! You're not going to pulling that kind of trick again. Not ever!"

"And who's going to stop me? Certainly not you!" Kodachi declared before looking down at the ground, where one final St. Hebereke gymnast stood relatively unscathed. "Fujiko! Send me a hoop!"

Nodding, the girl picked up the requested tool. "Here it is!" Kodachi's corner answered. "Be careful, Captain! It's your last one!"

"What?!" Kodachi shrieked.

"All the rest of your tools were smashed in that blast," Fujiko explained, clearly wary about drawing her Captain's wrath down upon her. "I'm sorry about that, but…!"

"Very well! Throw it!" Kodachi ordered. Her second immediately obeyed, sending the hoop skyward. As it spun upwards, Kodachi easily caught it, avoiding the razor-sharp edge. Turning to look at Akane, she smiled triumphantly. "My last tool, Ms. Tendo. Unfortunately for you, it's the only thing I will need. Prepare to die!"

With these words, Kodachi leaned back, and hurled the hoop directly at Akane. Grimacing at the sight of the deadly projectile, Akane brought up her legs, and blocked it with the manacles that still encased them. Kodachi's eyes went wide as her final tool went flying…only to smile in delight when the hoop slashed through the support beam the Tendo girl was hanging from!

"Aaugh!" Akane blared as the beam lurched somewhat, her ribbon slipping towards the growing slice.

"Well, now, it looks like its all over for you, dear," Kodachi grinned wickedly. "All I have to do is wait and watch…while _you _go plummeting to your doom!"

Gritting her teeth in determination, Akane stared up at the slash in the beam, nearly panicking with ever slip of the ribbon that brought her closer to defeat. _I have to do something, and fast! But what can I do?! _she wondered. _I don't even have any tools left! Just this ribbon…that…Ryoga…made… _

Inspiration lighting up her mind, Akane grinned as she took a handhold higher up the length of the ribbon, and then another. _Plase, hold together. Just for a while longer! _Akane silently pleaded, looping the bandana's of the ribbon around left her hand. Then, once satisfied with her handhold, Akane started to undo the knots connecting the ribbon of Iron Cloth to the baton.

"And what do you think you're doing?!" Kodachi demanded incredulously.

"So…you think this ribbon is ugly, huh?" Akane asked rhetorically as she slowly turned to look at her adversary, holding up the lone bandana she had freed from her tool. As she slowly spun the bandana about in her hand, channeling her chi into it, the Tendo girl delighted at the alarmed look she saw in her adversary. "Well, let's see what you think about this!" Then, with a throw even Ryoga would have envied, Akane sent the bandana flying at Kodachi's ribbon, slicing it in two.

As Kodachi fell, vainly trying to grab the part of her ribbon that was still wrapped about the beam, her face reflected her horror as victory turned to defeat. Before the astonished audience, the Black Rose plummeted towards the floor.

"Whoa!!" Ranma cried out, rushing towards her with all the speed he could muster. Just before Kodachi slammed into the ground, the pigtailed warrior quickly leapt into the air, and scooped the Black Rose into his arms, just before the force of her momentum drove them to the ground! As the two of them skidding to a halt, with Ranma soaking up the brunt of the impact.

Several seconds passed before the two of them finally recovered, and Ranma slowly sat up and looked at the Black Rose. "Hey…are you okay, Kodachi?"

As Ranma looked at her, Kodachi's eyes slowly filled with tears. "Ranma-darling…I lost! I'm so sorry but…my best wasn't good enough for you! Please…forgive me!"

As Kodachi wept uncontrollably, Akane looked down at the two of them in disdain. _Honestly! How can anyone be that pathetic! _she growled mentally, unsure exactly which of them she was referring to. As she growled unhappily, her eyes went wide as her line of bandanas suddenly went slack. A quick look up revealed that the ribbon had slid past the slash in the beam.

"Akane!!" Ryoga cried out, even as the Tendo girl fell towards the floor. Emulating Ranma's own actions, Ryoga succeeded in catching her.

"Akane!" Ryoga cried out again, looking at her in concern, her face paled by her fall.

"Ryoga…" Akane whispered, looking up at him as her face regained its color, slowly turning a deeper red as the two of them blushed. Looking away in embarrassment, Akane sputtered, "Um…thanks. I…umm…"

"Well…I'm just glad that…you're alright and everything…" Ryoga fumbled, wonderingwhat he should do now.

As the four martial artists struggled with their emotions, Soun and Genma rushed into the gym, looking about wildly at the carnage. "What happened?! Is it over?! Who won?!" Genma demanded.

Meanwhile, Soun looked at his daughter, cradled by Ryoga in the bridal position. His hair instantly stood on end as he pointed at the two of them. "AAAARRGH! Akane! What do you think you're _doing?!!" _

"Dad!" Akane managed to squeak out…only to be overwhelmed by the situation as the elder Tendo and Saotome started yelling at their respective children.

_Ugh…right now, I'm beginning to wish I'd just forfeited after all, _Akane thought wearily, even as Kodachi started screaming at Genma.

* * *

"Wow…what a day, huh?" Ryoga spoke. It was night after the match, and he and Akane were watching a sappy movie in the living room at the Tendo dojo.

"Yeah, it sure was," Akane agreed, flexing her arms. "Whew. That Kodachi sure is crazy! I'm going to be sore all over tomorrow!"

"Oh…I'm sorry about that," Ryoga answered, lowering his eyes to the floor.

"What are you being sorry for? If it hadn't been for you training me, I don't think I would ever have been able to beat her," Akane smiled easily, giving Ryoga a look that melted his heart. "Really, I can't thank you enough for that."

"I…um, well..." Ryoga fumbled, averting his eyes as he blushed. "I mean…you're the one who worked so hard. You mastered one of Mom's special moves! I…well, that is…"

Her gaze growing warmer as she continued to look at him, Akane murmured. "That's only because I had such a great teacher, Ryoga. Thanks."

As Ryoga looked at Akane, their eyes met and locked. The two of them smiled easily…only to be disturbed by the sound of a sodden stomping. Looking about, the two of them saw a soggy female Ranma marching by, with two bouquets of roses in her arms.

"Oh, Ranma," Akane got out, looking at the gender-bending martial artist in confusion. "Where'd you get all those flowers?"

Turning to look at Akane with a sour expression, Ranma answered, "Uh…it's a long story." This said, Ranma looked past Akane, and saw Ryoga sitting there. As the former lost boy met his gaze, Ranma's face shined with deepening disgust before she finally took off in a huff.

Several seconds passed after Ranma's departure, Akane frowned. _Why do I get the feeling that things are only going to get crazier?_

* * *

Author's Notes: Akane will soon learn to trust her intuition! Please, read and review! And check out my other stories, please!

Sorry to take so long, but I really wanted to make this battle different from the original. I hope you enjoyed the results.

Ryo-chan wolfgirl, thanks for the suggestion. Oh, and the amazons will be showing up next chapter! Watch out for them!

Count-zechs00, no, Ryoga hasn't bumped into the Amazons yet. I'm going to be having some fun with them next time!

Until next time, please enjoy!


	11. Amazon Law

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 11: Amazon Law

There were times that Akane couldn't decide which was worse – Ranma as a boy, or as a girl. While as a guy, Ranma displayed plenty of his usual arrogance and macho pride, something that was bad enough in Akane's mind. However, while Ranma didn't display these things nearly so much while as a girl, Akane was quickly learning that the shamelessness and total lack of tact were equally grating. If not even more.

"I can't believe you're actually eating that, Ryoga!" Ranma commented snidely, eyeing Ryoga incredulously as he spooned up a portion of his ice cream parfait. The three of them had stopped at a small diner, and the two boys were currently seated next to each other, with Akane sitting opposite of them.

"Why not?" Ryoga wondered, looking at the parfait that the buxom redhead was in the middle of gulping down. "You're the one who just said you've always wanted to eat one of these!"

"Yeah, but you're a guy!" Ranma countered. "Aren't you embarrassed to be seen eating that stuff?"

"Why should I be embarrassed?" Ryoga demanded, giving Ranma a sideways glare as he spooned up another portion of his treat. "Besides, you're eating one, too!"

"Yeah, but I'm a girl right now. So it really doesn't count!" Ranma retorted, giggling girlishly. "What's your excuse?"

"Hey, I don't need an excuse to enjoy ice cream!" Ryoga gritted in returned. "Besides, I haven't had anything like this for months, alright! So just back off!"

Sighing, Akane pressed her ahead against her temple, trying to stop it from throbbing. Some time had passed since the Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament, time in which things in the Nerima Ward had returned more or less to normal. The uneasy truce between Ranma and Ryoga still held, though they still argued, and the peace between them had its highs and lows.

Today was looking to be one of the lows.

"Anyway, Ranma, a real girl would never gulp down ice cream that way!" Akane stated flatly. She had been tempted to tell the gender-bending Saotome that she was eating like a pig, but she quickly thought better of that. She wasn't in the mood to give Ranma any ammunition to use against Ryoga.

"Aw, buzz off! I'll eat it anyway I want!" Ranma snorted, upending the glass to get at the last few dregs of ice cream.

Sighing in weary defeat, Akane decided to change the subject. "By the way, Ranma, Kasumi told me that Dr. Tofu asked you to help him with Kodachi."

"Huh? Oh yeah, that," Ranma replied, taking a sideways look at the menu, which had pictures of other flavorful treats. "Well, the doc thinks he's making some progress with helping her, but…I ain't seeing it."

"I still can't believe you'd want to help her! After all the things she did to Akane!" Ryoga grumbled.

"Ryoga, that's enough," Akane spoke, her voice taking on an edge of authority. Though it was clear that he wasn't happy about it, Ryoga soon backed down.

_At least he doesn't make an argument about stuff like this, _Akane thought with a hint of relief.

"It's not like its any big deal!" Ranma downplayed. "Dr. Tofu's tried to get her to over to his place several times, but the only way she'll actually come is…!"

"If you're there to escort her?" Akane assumed. "Well, isn't that convenient."

"Hey, it's not like this is my idea of a good time!" Ranma quickly protested. "You have no idea what it's like, putting up with her clinging to me half the time! It's making me nuts!" Sighing at the thought, Ranma raised her eyes skywards, looking very much the complete victim. "Honestly! She just does not give up! I've met hungry wolves that were less tenacious than she is!"

"Huh. Funny. I would've thought you'd be enjoying all of this," Ryoga baited, clearly enjoying the annoyed expression that his words caused. "Getting so much attention from a girl. Especially a cute thing like her…"

"Ryoga…" Akane spoke slowly, the warning in her voice less subtle than the last time. When Ryoga once again backed down, Akane returned her attention to Ranma. "Look, I know that you're just trying to help Dr. Tofu. But still…hey, what is it?"

The reason for Akane's confusion was Ranma's attention being drawn from the people at the table over to the television that hung past the bar. On it was a scene of a mountain range that Akane had never seen before.

"The people of China consider the white-rock mountain to be a deity," the news anchor on the television spoke as the picture cut to the image of what appeared to be a very old village. This was then replaced by a picture of the village's interior, which included a log suspended in mid-air by a series of ropes.

"Hey! I know that place!" Ranma got out, her eyes wide with astonishment.

"Well, all seems to be very quiet here in this Amazon village, but…" the reporter on the television started. Only to have his eyes widen in shock as he pointed off to his left. "Wait! Look at that!"

While Akane knew it had to be an incredible coincidence, several deep cracks began appearing in the wall of the diner, right in line with the reporter's finger. More cracks continued to form, even as the other customers in the store began to edge away from the affected wall.

"What is that?" Akane asked, just before the wall broke apart, debris flying inwards. People quickly scattered from the clouds of dust that rose up from the huge hole that had just been made in the wall. A hole that led outside, where a strange figure was seen standing.

When the dust finally settled, the figure was revealed to be a girl of about Akane's age. She had long, lavender hair, and wore a traditional Chinese outfit that was colored red and pink, and had gold trim. She had bonbori that were colored yellow and green in both hands, and on her face was a deadly scowl.

"Ranma," she spoke, her voice heavily accented with Chinese and hatred.

Akane looked over at Ryoga, who looked back at her in confusion. _She knows Ranma?! _the both of them thought at once, just before returning their attention to the drama unfolding before them.

As they did so, they realized that Ranma clearly knew the intruder as well. Her eyes were wide with panic, her arms raised up in a defensive position. "Sh-Sh-Shampoo!" the redhead stammered out fearfully.

_Ranma knows her?! _Ryoga and Akane thought, their confusion mounting.

"Ranma!" Shampoo repeated, raising her weapons menacingly. "Die!"

"W-wait a minute!! Wh-when the heck did you get to Japan?!" Ranma stuttered as she got out of her seat, pointing at the menacing figure.

"Die!" Shampoo snarled, thrusting one of her bonbori straight at Ranma. The redhead, already out of her seat, was able to dodge the blow easily. However, Ryoga, who was still seated and in a less opportune position, got a face full of the Amazon's weapon, and had his head unceremoniously smashed into the wall behind him.

Even as Ryoga grunted in discomfort, Shampoo withdrew her bonbori, her eyes locked hatefully on Ranma. Who was edging away from the irate girl as quickly as she was able.

"Hey, c'mon! Why can't you just leave already! Just get over it!" Ranma cried out, fear turning to aggravation as she avoided several smashing blows. Acting on impulse, she pulled a curtain away from one of the windows, and flung it Shampoo. The Amazon quickly smashed the curtain out of her way, but the time she had been blinded had been long enough for Ranma to completely disappear from view.

Looking about in confusion, Shampoo scanned her surroundings, even while Akane was tending to the only person Shampoo had succeeded in hitting so far.

"Ryoga, are you alright?" Akane asked, cradling his head even as the fanged warrior groaned in pain, his hand held to his injury.

"Ow…I'm fine, Akane," Ryoga groaned, opening his eyes and looking at his impromptu assailant. "Why, that…that crazy girl! I'm gonna…!"

"Ryoga, wait!" Akane countered, but to no avail. His blood already boiling, Ryoga grabbed his umbrella from his backpack, which was right next to him on the seat. Gently brushing Akane aside, the fanged warrior leapt towards Shampoo.

"Hey, you!" Ryoga growled, brandishing umbrella. When Shampoo turned to face him, he took a battle-ready stance. "I don't know what business you have with Ranma, but mark my words. No one makes a mockery of Ryoga Hibiki! You won't get away with this!"

A deadly grimace twisting her lips, Shampoo raised her bonbori as she braced to battle this new opponent. "You hide Ranma. You too must die!" With these words, she charged at Ryoga, driving one of her maces at his head.

Ryoga quickly parried the destructive blow with his umbrella, only to watch as Shampoo hammered at him with the other bonbori. Twisting away from the blow, Ryoga tried to get in a strike with his umbrella. Shampoo saw the blow coming, however, and blocked it with one of her bonbori. While Ryoga tried to break her block, the lavender-haired girl swung her other mace in a lethal arc.

Seeing the blow coming out of the corner of his eye, Ryoga leapt backwards, his umbrella held at the ready as he once again evaluated his opponent. "Let me make one thing clear to you girl! I have no idea where Ranma is right now! And I don't really care, either! All I care about is making you pay for using my head for an anvil!"

While Ryoga and Shampoo once again squared off, Ranma was looking out between the doors of the storage cabinet she had flung herself into in order to avoid Shampoo's detection. Gasping in dismay, she quickly realized that Ryoga had no qualms about going the full distance against his adversary. And that Shampoo had was similarly resolute to take him down and resume her search for her real target.

_Ryoga, you idiot! You have no idea what'll happen if you fight her! _Ranma thought, recalling the consequences of that action all too readily. Silently wishing for something to get that bonehead away from the deadly Amazon, Ranma's prayers went unanswered as the two of them issued cries of battle before charging. Their weapons slammed together heavily several times in rapid succession, with neither one seeming to have an immediate advantage. Something that Ranma knew would not last long.

Even as he thought this, Ryoga once again leapt backwards, tearing three bandanas free of his head. Spinning them about in his hand, he readied to fire them off, even as Shampoo charged ahead.

_Damn! I just _know _I'm gonna regret this! _Ranma thought, grimacing as she pushed the doors of the cabinet open. Practically falling out of the awkward position she had cooped herself up in, the redhead hurriedly regained her feet.

"Yo, Shampoo! Looking for me?" Ranma cried out, watching with more than a bit of dismay as Shampoo stopped in mid-charge and looked at her true prey. Waving her arm at Shampoo, she stood there with her hand to her mouth. "You want me?! Well, come and get me!"

"What the…?!" Ryoga got out, apparently stunned by the concept of Ranma making herself a target.

As for Shampoo, she was similarly surprised, but then her confusion turned to anger as Ranma fled through the hole she had made in the wall. "Running again?!" she snarled, just before she darted off after her. "Ranma!!"

While Ryoga and Akane stared after Shampoo, along with the rest of the restaurant patrons, the Tendo girl wondered, "Who was that…that girl?"

"I don't know, but she's got a lot to answer for!" Ryoga growled hatefully. "How dare she just skip out on a fight like that! I'm gonna -!"

"You're gonna pay, that's what you're gonna do!" came another voice. Before either of the martial artists could even move, the man who had been stationed behind the bar of the diner rushed right up to Ryoga, his bespectacled eyes shining with anger. He then pointed at the massive mark Shampoo had left on his establishment. "Who was that girl, a friend of yours?! I demand that you pay for all of the damages! She wrecked my restaurant!!"

His fury being replaced by horrified confusion, Ryoga could only back away from the irate owner. "Wh-what…?!" Ryoga got out, his mind emptied by the very thought of having to cough up all of those yen.

"Hey, what are you talking about?!" Akane growled, drawing the heat off of Ryoga. "Didn't you what that girl did him?! She's not our friend, we don't know a thing about her, and neither of us is paying for anything!!"

Sweat-dropping in the face of Akane's fury, the man paled somewhat. "Wh-who are you people?!"

* * *

_What did I ever do to deserve this?! _Ranma demanded, running full out to keep one step ahead of the Amazonian wrecking ball which had chased him all the way from China.

"Ranma!" Shampoo once again cried out. Looking over her shoulder, Ranma saw Death hot on her heels, a bonbori in both hands.

_Next time, I'll let Ryoga find out the hard way what happens when you mess with an Amazon! _Ranma decided, looking for a convenient avenue of escape. What she saw was one of the walls along the side of the street.

Knowing that she could elude Shampoo if she could just get out of the Amazon's killer sights for a few moments, Ranma sprang over the wall. Landing on the grass on the other side, she quickly scanned the area for anyplace where she could hide, or at least some hot water. What she found was an open garden, complete with a small pond.

Realizing that there was no help to be found there, Ranma began running again. Just in time to avoid the flying debris that resulted from Shampoo deciding that leaping over a wall was slower than just smashing a hole _through_ it.

"_Ranma!!"_ Shampoo shrilled, before adding to her oath with some of her native Chinese. And while Ranma didn't speak a word of it, she was pretty sure that it was something along the lines of 'Get back here and die already!'

Finding another burst of speed within her, Ranma kept on running. _There's gotta be a way out of this!_

Springing up to the roof of a nearby house, Ranma kept on running, knowing full well that a simple building was no deterrent to an Amazon with blood in her eyes. Sure enough, Shampoo was quick to follow, and the deadly game of Follow the Leader continued from rooftop to rooftop.

_C'mon, think! There's gotta be a way out of this mess! _Ranma thought, looking this way and that for something, _anything _she could use. Her heart pounding heavily in her chest, the redhead saw little of immediate value. There were many houses, but with Shampoo so close that she could practically feel the Amazon's breath on her shoulders, Ranma doubted that there would be time to ensconce herself in a good hiding spot.

So Ranma kept running, her ears constantly reporting the various form of damage that Shampoo was inflicting on any poor object that happened to get in her way.

Leaping from the last building on the block and not finding another within range, Ranma landed on the streets and kept running. With Shampoo still relentlessly chasing her, and no sign of a convenient hiding place or readily available hot water. Making matters even worse was that they were now on the streets, with various people in harms' way. And while Ranma didn't want to hurt anyone, Shampoo wasn't similarly disinclined.

"Hey, watch it!" one poor man cried out as he was toppled by the frantic redhead, only to get a stomach-full of Amazon foot.

"Look out!" a street vendor protested as his cart full of sweet potatoes was smashed in two mere moments after Ranma had hopped over it.

"You stupid bitches!" a woman screamed as her car was redecorated with footprints. Not to mention a rather large dent to the grill, courtesy of Shampoo once again missing her real target.

_Oh, please, don't let anybody find out I had anything to with this! _Ranma pleaded inwardly. _If Shampoo doesn't kill me, the repair bills will!_

As Shampoo continued her rampage, with Ranma just barely staying ahead of her, the redhead finally gasped in relief, for she finally spied her salvation. A deluxe, neon-enhanced bathhouse.

_Perfect! _Ranma grinned, hope adding a burst of speed to her gait. Not even stopping to marvel at the fancy decor. _There's got to be plenty of places to hide in there! And hot water, too!_

Blowing right through the door and into the clean, white interior, Ranma blew through the next door and past an attractive woman who was manning the register. "Excuse me! That'll be 295 yen for…hey, come back!"

"Ranma!" Shampoo was heard crying out again, making her own unique entrance. As the poor woman was sent sprawling by the Amazon death machine, Ranma was making good on her escape, heading towards the men's side. She barely took notice of the few people there, armed with their own bath supplies, and ran straight for the doors to the bath.

_Almost there…almost…!_ Ranma thought, ignoring the surprised looks shot at her by the various men there, nude save for a towel. The steaming hot bath drawing ever closer.

"Ranma!!" Shampoo screeched, arriving just as the redhead splashed beneath the water. And felt the water work its magic, rendering her a man once again.

_Okay, so far, so good! _Ranma thought hurriedly as he hid beneath the surface. He quickly shucked his Chinese shirt and white tank top, leaving them to fall to the bottom of the bath. Hoping against that this would be enough as his own wearied lungs forced him to rise to the surface in search of air.

When his head popped above the water, Ranma blanched at the sight of Shampoo scanning her surroundings, searching for her redheaded prey. Her grip upon her maces tightening as she searched the startled men bathing there, and found a familiar face.

"Ranma?" Shampoo spoke, causing the pigtailed boy to freeze. However, the Amazon's expression one was one of confusion, rather than wrath. Jumping into the bath, Shampoo marched up to Ranma, and knelt down to look him in the face.

"Nihao," Shampoo spoke, her eyes narrowed and boring into Ranma's own.

"Uh…nihao," Ranma returned. All the while he desperately pleaded, _Oh, please, don't let her figure it out!_

Still not satisfied, Shampoo examined Ranma's chest, even pressing her hands against it. As if she expected a set of breasts to magically spring out at her. "Is…man!" Shampoo finally exclaimed, much to Ranma's relief.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm a guy!" Ranma responded, practically swooning at the realization that his plan had worked. "Sorry about that."

Grimacing at the thought that her prey had somehow eluded her, Shampoo rose up and began looking about again. "Ranma! Where she?!"

"I-I don't know who you're talking about, but…" Ranma started, smiling helpfully as he pointed over at the women's side. "If you're…looking for a girl, the girl's side is…over there!"

Looking in the direction indicated, Shampoo's face twisted into a snarl of frustration. "Again she run?! Ranma!!" His name once again her battle cry, Shampoo ran over to the wall dividing the two sides and leapt over it in a single bound. Her arrival eliciting cries of surprise from the resident females.

A sigh of purest relief escaping his lips, Ranma finally smiled. _Now, all I have to is wait until she finally decides to take off! Then I just pick up my clothes, and I'm gone!_

It truly was the perfect plan. Made even better by the fact that Ranma could enjoy a free soak in the bathes while he waited.

* * *

Shampoo was beyond furious.

For months, she had been tracking the miserable coward of a girl who had defeated her in combat. Who had humiliated Shampoo in front of every one of her fellow Amazons. And thereby insuring that she could never return home…lest she bring supreme disgrace upon her tribe.

_She should just stand and fight, instead of running like a coward!_ Shampoo thought hatefully, the image of the redhead who had ruined her life burned into her memory for all time. It was far better to die in honorable combat than to live a miserable coward. Something any true warrior would understand.

The fact that Shampoo had lost to such a coward made her situation that much more infuriating.

Running from rooftop to rooftop, Shampoo searched for any sign of her prey, any hint of red hair or that miserable voice belonging to Ranma. Any clue at all.

Just as it seemed possible that Shampoo had truly lost her again, she spotted a clue. Not the kind she had been searching for, but a clue, nonetheless.

On the streets below her was a doctor's office, if her imperfect Japanese was correct. And just in front of the office was a panda, calmly sweeping the entrance. Something that no ordinary panda would be doing.

Shampoo narrowed her eyes at the rotund bundle of fur, her heart pounding with anticipation. On the wretched day she had been disgraced, Ranma had arrived in her village in the company of a panda. A panda who acted unlike any ordinary panda, and had helped devour the victory feast that had been rightfully Shampoo's. A panda who had traveled alongside Ranma wherever the coward had gone in China.

If Ranma was in this city, than logically, the panda would likely be close as well. And there would undoubtedly be few pandas in Japan, and even fewer that behaved as Ranma's companion did. Meaning that the odds of this being the right panda went up to virtually 100%.

"You!" Shampoo cried out, using what little Japanese she had mastered. The panda startled, looking up, only to see the Amazon land before him. His eyes widening in horror, the panda backpedaled away, but was nowhere near fast enough. Shampoo rushed the massive creature, and leapt into his face with a devastating kick. Thrust into the wall behind him, the panda fell to the ground, staggered and shaking his head as he tried to recover.

When he finally did, the panda looked up at Shampoo…and cringed upon realizing that she had one of her bonbori pointed at him. "Ranma! Where she?!" the Amazon demanded.

The panda's response was to make a series of guttural sounds, making several warding gestures with his paws.

Shampoo was not impressed. Though she knew that pandas couldn't talk, she had seen this one indicate what it wanted with handwritten placards several times over the course of her hunt for Ranma. "You hide Ranma? You die!"

Shaking his head quickly, the panda bowed down before Shampoo. The Amazon smiled, victory almost upon her. She didn't want to kill the panda. He was a possible lead to Ranma's current abode. All she wanted to do was terrify him into revealing the redheaded coward. Something that looked like it would be even easier than Shampoo had imagined.

"Hey, what's going on out here?" came an unfamiliar voice. Looking around, Shampoo spied a man wearing glasses and a black dogi emerge from the office. Letting out a slight gasp, the man quickly evaluated the situation…before taking a battle stance.

"Alright, I don't know what's going on here, but I suggest you leave," the man ordered her, his voice calm and collected. His stance clearly that of someone who had seen many battles. "I won't have any fighting. Not at my office!"

Shampoo growled angrily. Someone else was in her way. Someone else was standing between her and Ranma. This was something she would not allow. Standing ready to battle the bespectacled man, the Amazon gave him one chance to live. "Ranma! Where she?"

The man immediately blinked in surprise. "What's that? You're looking for Ranma?" he asked, abandoning his stance and looking at the Amazon in confusion. Surprised by this development, Shampoo nodded.

"Well, if that's all you wanted, there was certainly no need to beat up Mr. Saotome! All you had to do was ask!" the man responded politely, spreading his hands in a peaceful manner. "Ranma's staying at the Tendo Dojo, along with Mr. Saotome here."

While the panda was falling over in shock, Shampoo's mouth was popping open in even deeper shock. To be given the information she had been hunting for, just like that? It was almost too easy!

"Oh, dear. It looks Mr. Saotome has fainted," the man noticed, looking at the panda. When Shampoo followed the man's gaze, she saw that he was indeed correct. The panda was lying flat on his back, his eyes rolled up into his head and foam was spilling out of his mouth. "I really wish you hadn't been so rough on him. I know he can be a bit difficult, but really, you didn't have to be so violent."

Frowning as he brought his hand to his chin, the manner considered both Shampoo, and the panda. Then, with a weary sigh, he smiled. "I better get him some tea, and then help him back home," the man decided. "Say, if you're looking for Ranma, why don't you help me?"

"Huh?!" Shampoo got out, her mind practically emptied by the ease of it all.

"Well, it only seems fair, seeing as you had a hand in his condition," the man decided. "Just give me a minute to get ready. And I guess I better get some hot water while I'm at it. It'll make things easier."

Frowning over this last statement, Shampoo could only decide that her Japanese was faultier than she had believed. How could hot water make a journey easier?

Still, Shampoo was certain that she had understood enough to realize that the man in glasses wanted to take the panda back to this Tendo Dojo. Which was where Ranma was staying. And that he wanted her to come along as well.

This was almost too perfect. After months of futile searching, months of frustration and disappointment, her prey's location was being handed to her on a silver platter. It was just too simple.

But then, Shampoo considered the matter. The man's eyes did not seem to lie. And even if he was prevaricating, she had still managed to identify the panda. A known a companion to Ranma. Even is the information the man gave her was false, she would be able to remain close to the panda, and hopefully obtain the information she needed.

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Shampoo smiled a genuine smile. If the man was truly leading her to Ranma, then her quest would soon be over. If he was lying, she still had the panda, and would be able to suitably punish the man for his falsehoods a alter time.

Either way, Shampoo couldn't lose.

* * *

"I still don't understand what that was all about!" Akane grumbled as she lead Ryoga back to the Tendo Dojo. "Why was that girl attacking Ranma, anyway?!"

"Heh. I don't have any idea, but knowing him, he probably did something to deserve it!" Ryoga muttered in response.

"Come on! This is serious!" Akane shot back. Not at all in the mood for _another _destructive lunatic making a mess of things. "Right now, all I want to do is get back home, and have a nice bath!"

"Oh. Right," Ryoga replied, unable to shake the thought that Ranma might finally get what was coming to him. That this mystery girl might at least drive Ranma away from the Tendo Dojo…and leave Akane in his far more deserving arms.

_Yeah, I'd rather deal with Ranma myself, _Ryoga thought, his smile dimming somewhat. _Still…if he did something rotten to this girl and she wants to get back at him…I guess he'll still get what's coming to him!_

With this thought in mind, Ryoga followed Akane into the Tendo household, the two of them taking off their shoes at the entrance before walking along the hardwood floors to the dining room. Where they found Shampoo, calmly sitting at the table and sipping a cup of tea. While Genma was cringing beneath the table, sweat pouring from his bald head.

"What the…?!" both Akane and Ryoga spat out upon seeing the one-woman disaster area in the last place they had expected to see her.

"Why, hello, you two!" Kasumi murmured gently as she held up a small teapot. "Mr. Saotome and Dr. Tofu brought a visitor. Wasn't that a sweet thing to do?"

While Akane and Ryoga were trying to get their brains back into functional order, they stared stupidly at the lazy warrior who was still cringing beneath the table. His eyes wide, Genma waved his head in negation. "Really, it wasn't like that! Honestly, I can explain…!"

"Oh, I can't wait to hear this one!!" Akane growled menacingly, causing Genma to shrink beneath the table. And Shampoo to look at the two of them.

"Ranma! Where she?!" Shampoo demanded once again, bringing forth her bonbori as she got to her feet.

"Oh, not this _again…!_" Akane grumbled wearily, having had her fill of lunacy for one day.

"How should we know where Ranma is?! She ran off earlier, remember?!" Ryoga growled, once again drawing his umbrella.

"W-wait! Ryoga!" Genma cried out, his eyes wider and sweat pouring down his head. "Trust me! You do _not _want to fight this girl!"

"Yeah, well, I don't think she's gonna give me much choice!" Ryoga shot back, noting the violence in Shampoo's glare.

"Bring Ranma!" Shampoo growled, apparently deciding that actions spoke much louder than words. And that smashing up Ranma's current residence and a few of her friends might inspire her to appear, or least loosen a few tongues. Swinging one of her bonbori at Ryoga, Shampoo tore through one of the paper doors, sending Akane sprawling to the floor.

"Akane!" Ryoga cried out, even as Akane got back to her feet, shooting a furious glare at Shampoo.

"Oooh…that does it!" Akane snarled, even as a mallet was seen in her hand. "If you think you're gonna run around, trashing my house…!"

"No, don't do it!" Genma cried out, leaping from his so-called hiding spot. Tackling the youngest Tendo, the lazy warrior held her securely against the floor, his arms wrapped about her frame. Even as Ryoga leapt in to confront Shampoo, standing between the lavender-haired girl and her intended target.

"What -?! Hey! Let me go!" Akane cried out, trying to free herself from Genma's hold. "I mean it! That maniac is going down!"

"No, you mustn't fight her!" Genma pleaded desperately. "Trust me, it's for your own good!"

"That's right! Just leave this to me, Akane!" Ryoga growled even as Shampoo once again tried to bash him with one of her bonbori. Seeing the attack coming, Ryoga decided to even the odds by taking off his belt, imbuing it with his chi. The leather now hard as steel and razor-sharp, Ryoga used it to slice off the head of one of the bonbori, sending the heavy weight flying off through one of the walls.

"No, Ryoga, you mustn't!" Genma pleaded, even as Shampoo was trying to figure out how her weapon had been destroyed.

Ryoga didn't listen. Instead, he took advantage of the opening afforded him. With a snarl of pure rage, he swung his umbrella like it was a baseball bat, with Shampoo's head as the ball. The girl cried out in pain as the strike connected, sending her flying from the house into the yard. Crashing into the tree next to the koi fish pond, Shampoo then tumbled to the ground, twitching somewhat from the shocks to her system.

"There! Maybe next time, you'll think twice before messing with Akane!" Ryoga declared, feeling rather smug and proud of himself.

Something that was brought to an end when a fist was brought down upon his head. "Foolish boy!!" Genma cried out, his fist knocking Ryoga back to the real world. "You have no idea what you've just done!"

"What are you talking about?!" Akane demanded, getting to her feet.

"That's what I'd like to know!" Ryoga growled, shaking his fist at Genma.

"You've sealed your fate, boy!" Genma gritted, shaking his head woefully. "Honestly, such arrogance! Do you even know how to think?!"

"Hey, what'd I do this time?!" came the indignant voice of the male Ranma. Looking about, they saw the younger Saotome approach in somewhat damp clothes, a stung expression on his face.

"Why, hello, Ranma!" Kasumi greeted, apparently unfazed by the events taking place in her own home.

"It wasn't you!" Genma retorted as Ranma joined them. The bald warrior then pointed out at the flattened Amazon, who was now struggling to her feet. Seeing his would-be assassin laying in the backyard, Ranma immediately cringed.

"Oh, man! Don't me that…Ryoga…!" Ranma started, looking in expectant dread at his father.

"That's right!" Genma returned, bringing up his fists in frustration. " A fate I would wish on no man!"

"What are you two talking about?!" Akane demanded. All too aware that she was missing something, and hating it.

"Never mind that!" Ryoga got out, looking as a somewhat dazed Shampoo looked at him. Staggering forward almost like she was half-asleep, the Amazon made her way towards the fanged warrior. "So, you want some more, huh? Well, I'll be happy to oblige you!"

"No, Ryoga! Don't do it!" Ranma and Genma cried out at once. Too late to stop Ryoga from leaping towards Shampoo, brandishing his umbrella, and ready for battle.

Shampoo didn't seem to take notice of the umbrella, or Ryoga's stance. She just kept towards him, stumbling somewhat…just before wrapping her arms about him, a heavy sigh escaping her lips.

"Huh?" Ryoga, Ranma, and Genma got out at once, as all three looked at Shampoo, who didn't seem at all angry at the man who had just defeated her.

"Wo ai ni," Shampoo breathed. Just before she drew herself up to Ryoga…and kissed him squarely on the lips.

"_What the -?!"_ Akane snarled, her fingers gripping at empty air. Her face practically glowing with sudden fury.

"Oh, my," Kasumi spoke, apparently embarrassed by the forwardness expressed by Shampoo.

"That's it! He's done for!" Genma cried out. "Oh, the humanity!"

Ranma just frowned at the bizarre tableau before him. "Hey, wait a second. That's not how she did it last time..."

While everyone was looking at him and Shampoo, having various reactions to their close contact, Ryoga was just standing there stupidly, floored by his first kiss. And wondering if someone would be kind enough to tell him what the heck was going on.

Ryoga didn't get an answer. What he got was Akane, growling her outrage as she threw her mallet straight into his head. Sending Ryoga to fall to the ground, while Shampoo just stared at him in horror. The Amazon then looked back towards where the mallet had come from, and her own eyes locked with Akane's own enraged orbs.

As the two girls stood there, glaring hate at each other, Ryoga was recovering from being knocked in the head again. Looking about slowly, he once again tried to figure what was going on around him. And getting nothing in the way of answers.

"What is all this noise? What's going on?" came the voice of Soun Tendo, even as he slid open one of the paper doors, and surveying the situation before him with a critical eye.

"Oh, Father!" Kasumi murmured, drawing Soun's attention. "Well, I'm not entirely sure, but…it looks like Ryoga's Chinese girlfriend just arrived, and…well…"

"_Girlfriend?! Ryoga _has a girlfriend?!" Soun cried out in utmost delight. A smile stretching across his face, and almost cutting it in half.

"Hey, wait! It's not like that!" Ryoga protested, getting back to his feet.

"Well…she does seem to like you, boy," Genma decided. A statement that only served to further confuse Ryoga…until he felt smooth skin and warmth about his frame, a deep, feminine sighing ringing in his ears. At which he realized that Shampoo was caressing him with her cheek.

His confusion mounting, Ryoga could only look at the rest of the occupants of the Tendo Dojo…and feel his heart breaking as Akane stuck her nose up into the air, and stalked off.

"Akane!" Ryoga cried out in vain, watching as the girl he loved vanished. His mind emptied by this and the fact that he still had Shampoo wrapped about him, he could only growl in frustration, before looking up into the heavens and roaring.

"_WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?!!?!"_

* * *

"The Kiss of Death?!" Ryoga got out. He, along with Shampoo, Ranma, Kasumi, Soun, and Genma, were all seated at the table.

"That's right. When…that girl you saw before defeated Shampoo in battle, she immediately gave her the Kiss of Death, and Amazon pledge to chase her to the ends of the Earth, and kill," Genma explained, the two of them having given a quick explanation as to how he had accompanied a certain redhead to the village, only to have the gluttonous, ungrateful, and thoroughly greedy girl devour the entirety of Shampoo's victory feast.

While Ranma was making noises of disapproval, but knowing there was nothing he could say without putting his own neck on an Amazon chopping block, Shampoo was giving Genma an odd look. "Shampoo still not believe it. Have heard of Jusenkyo curses before, but never saw until now."

"Yeah, that's…just great," Ryoga muttered, full aware of the irony of this mess. "But I…I still don't get it! If Shampoo is supposed to kill someone who beats her, then why…?!"

"Oh, what does that matter?" Soun smiled, the very picture of good cheer. "It would seem that you are most fortunate! Not only does she not seem to hold a grudge against you, but she seems to like a great deal! And how lucky is that, a pretty thing like her, eh, Saotome?"

"Ah, right you are, Tendo!" Genma responded instantly, halfway to having his cozy retirement safe and secure.

"Hey, it's not like that! I…!" Ryoga stammered, unable to understand what was going.

"Yeah, I don't get it either, Pops," Ranma muttered, eyeing the Amazon perplexedly. "Why get so mad at m- I mean, some girl, but get all cute on Ryoga?"

"Who knows? Who cares? All that matters is that…!" Genma started, only to be cut off by Shampoo raising a somewhat battered book.

"Amazon Tribal Law, huh?" Ranma spoke, taking the offered book. Only to frown in disgust at what he saw. "Hey, how am I supposed to read this?! It's all in Chinese!"

"Is in Japanese, too," Shampoo corrected.

"What? Oh, I see it," Ranma admitted, taking note of the more familiar kanji. "Let's see…if an Amazon is defeated by a female outsider, the Amazon must give her the Kiss of Death and kill as soon as possible. However, if she is defeated by a male outsider…huh?! No way!"

"What?! What is it?!" Ryoga demanded, leaning forward in growing dread.

"Ryoga, you are not gonna believe this!" Ranma intoned, his face paling. "According to this dumb book, since you defeated Shampoo, she has to marry you!"

"What?!!?!" Ryoga gasped in horror.

"Oh!" Kasumi breathed.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo blushed, bringing her hands to her face.

"Oh, what a glorious day!" Soun leapt up, waving fans in celebration as Genma followed suit. One of the major obstacles to his daughter's wedding having been swept aside. "To the eventual union of Ryoga and Shampoo!"

"Here, here!" Genma agreed happily.

"Huh?" Ryoga paled, staring at the two of them in disbelief.

"In fact, you can have the wedding here! Right in this dojo!" Soun offered, leaning over the table so that his face was inches from Ryoga's. "It'd be our pleasure! And anything for a fellow martial artist! Right, Saotome?"

"Right you are, Tendo!" Genma laughed merrily. "Ah, young love! Those were the days!"

While this was going on, Ryoga found himself looking down at the table, and then Shampoo, who was still curled up next to him. _Young love, huh? _he thought, examining the Amazon, who was certainly cute. A girl any man would consider attractive. But then Ryoga's eyes fell on the book of Amazon law, and he sighed unhappily. _It sure doesn't feel like it._

* * *

Author's Notes: Sorry to take so long with updating this story, but inspiration has been somewhat lacking. Not to mention my being busy with some of my other fics. Still, I hope you will all read and review anyway. And hopefully check out a few of said fics.

Ganheim, you make a pretty good proofreader, and you have some valid points about Ryoga and Akane. But in regards to Ryoga's treatment, the reason I did that is simply because he gets lost so easily, I needed for a relatively quick and believable way to have him roaming about Nerima without taking days or weeks to get from one place to another. So, just as Takahashi gave him his bad sense of direction so she could have him come and go whenever she wanted, I got rid of it (more or less) so that I could have him stick around without being reliant on a constant escort.

As for why Akane was so nice to Ryoga, you have to remember that, while Akane does have a very short temper, she can also be uncharacteristically nice to people she feels sorry for, or she thinks have been treated badly by life in general. Such a thing is demonstrated when she decides to help Mousse win Shampoo's affections after that fiasco with the Spring of Drowned Duck water, or when she feels like Ryoga is getting beaten up by Ranma. It was this attitude I was working with here. And I will admit, my knowledge of Japanese culture is far from the best, so I apologize if I blow it from time to time.

In regards to the scene where Ryoga trounces Kuno, I admit, I was having some fun with that. I really don't like Tatewaki. By the way, about that three-legged race from the manga, you did remember wrong. While Ryoga does get off to a false start, he catches up, thanks to the fighting amongst the others. So he's caught in the deluge and winds up in the hot spring with Ranma and Mousse, and is consequently forced to wear those heavy clothes I mentioned before.

rewind gone nuts, Akane had a couple things in her favor going into this match. In canon, when Ranma fights Kodachi, not only is she not exactly at her peak (having fought with Ryoga all night long!), but most of the match, she had P-Chan attached to her by a length of chain. Since Akane doesn't have those problems, it seemed to me that it would compensate for her relative lack of practice. And you're right about Pilaf. Emperor Pilaf was the first nemesis for Goku and company in Dragonball, and even showed up in Dragonbal GT. But when I was thinking of a name for the nasty doctor, I thought we already had a Dr. Tofu. Why not use another food item, and one already associated with villainy?

Also, I apologize for seeming like I was defending Ryoga so much. But I was getting tired of being attacked by people on all sides who seem to think he's this worthless moron who deserves to have all kinds of rotten things happen to him!


	12. Headaches

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 12: Headaches

"I don't believe this," Ryoga muttered, staring in shock at the book that was now in his hands. "She _seriously _has to marry me?!"

"That's what that dumb book says," Ranma replied, his arm and legs folded as he sat on his head on the dojo floor. Shifting his eyes towards his fellow martial artist, he then added, "You know, you're actually pretty lucky."

"Lucky?" Ryoga repeated dubiously. "And just what's that supposed to mean?"

"Hey, I didn't mean that in a weird way," Ranma explained somewhat defensively. "It's just that I remember what happened after _I _got kissed by Shampoo!" Letting out a derisive chuckle, the pigtailed warrior did an easy roll so that he was on his side. "Man, if I'd known what'd happen if I beat her as a girl, I'd have gone guy before I even set foot in that stupid village."

"Well, if you hadn't eaten that victory feast of hers, then she probably wouldn't have challenged you to begin with," Ryoga commented in a superior tone.

"And just how was I supposed to know that?! The sign was written in Chinese!" Ranma shot back irritably.

Taking a moment to enjoy Ranma's humiliation, Ryoga then frowned pensively. "So, seriously…that girl, Shampoo? She really chased you all over China?"

"Hmph. Like a wolf on overdrive!" Ranma grumbled in memory. "I mean, the Jusenkyo guide had barely gotten us out of there before she started coming after us! And after that…well, you saw what happened at the diner! _That's _what happened to Pop and me everywhere in China! She just wouldn't let up!"

Frowning somewhat, Ryoga considered the matter. On the one hand, he could certainly understand why Ranma wouldn't enjoy a potential assassin dogging his heels everywhere he went. But there was another matter, one that Ryoga brought up quickly. "But you beat her once before, right? Then why not just beat her again?"

"Trust me, I tried that a couple times before!" Ranma grumbled, rolling his eyes grumpily. "I met her head on, fought it out, and even beat her! But she just wouldn't give up! She just licked her wounds for a little while and came after me again!" Then the pigtailed boy's eyes lit up, and he smiled deviously. "Actually, when I think about it, you and Shampoo really do have a lot in common! I'm sure she'd be a perfect wife for you!"

Blushing at the implication, Ryoga stammered out, "H-hey, watch it!" Discomforted by such thoughts, he quickly tried to get back to the previous subject. "But seriously…she wouldn't let up, huh?"

"Not a chance. The Jusenkyo guide it explained it to us while we were on the run," Ranma replied, rolling onto his back. "There's some dumb Chinese Amazon bylaw or something that says that she can't never go back home unless she kills the girl who defeated her. If she did, she'd disgrace the entire tribe, and then they'd have to train her up even more and send her back out again."

"Seriously?" Ryoga gulped nervously. Then he once again looked at the book, a worried notion popping into his head.

"Say…I wonder if that same bylaw applies to snatching a husband?" Ranma asked, giving voice to Ryoga's qualm. "And speaking of which, where is the bride-to-be, anyway?"

"I'm not sure," Ryoga admitted. Then with a bashful shrug, he explained, "She was being pretty…clingy, and…well…"

"What, not used to have a beautiful girl hanging on your shoulders every second?" Ranma grinned. A grin that got even wider when Ryoga's cheeks colored with embarrassment. "If you ask me, you're actually pretty lucky."

"Huh?" Ryoga got out, looking questioningly at his rival.

"I mean…she's always been trying to kill me, so I never really noticed this, but…y'know, Shampoo actually _is_ kinda cute," Ranma admitted thoughtfully. "And she certainly is sweet on you."

A tired sigh escaped Ryoga's lips as he considered Ranma's words. "Yeah, I know," he admitted, his voice a tired one. Tired and weary from so much time spent alone. Then he looked down at the book in his hands, and frowned even more. "But…I don't know. Do you…think she really likes me?"

"And what's supposed to mean?" Ranma asked, flipping over and resting his head in his arms. "She was jumping all over you not that long ago! It certainly seemed like she likes you."

"Yeah, but…what if it's like you said? And she _has _to…well, you know, or…be kicked out of her village or something like that?" Ryoga wondered, holding up the book in a meaningful fashion. Sighing somberly, the fanged boy lay back as well. "I don't know. If she's just interested in me because of some law…"

Studying his fellow martial artist for a moment, Ranma took a moment to consider his next words. He really didn't like talking about such matters; life tossed enough tragedies and messed-up situations at people in general, and he didn't like thinking about them to begin with. And handling such situations often seemed beyond his ability. In general, he preferred to laugh and make light of such matters, and he was certainly tempted to do so in this case.

Then he took a moment to study the confused expression Ryoga was wearing, and quickly decided that making light of the situation was far from the right thing to do. "I dunno," Ranma finally admitted. "I have to admit, when you put it that way, it don't sound so great to me, either."

Making a thoughtful grunt, Ryoga then frowned. "Say…why was Mr. Tendo and your father so happy about this whole Amazon marriage law thing, anyway?"

"Hmph. Who knows? I gave up trying to figure Pop out a long time ago, and Akane's old man can be kinda crazy, too," Ranma replied with a shrug. "By the way, just out of curiosity…what's your old man like, anyway?"

"My father?" Ryoga got out. "Well, he's a nice guy. Pretty strict at times, especially when it comes to training, but…well, I don't really get to see him much, but…"

"But what?" Ranma wondered, looking more intently at his rival.

"Well, the last time I saw my father was about a year ago. He's just gotten back from this big business trip – about a month late, if I remember – and my mom was there as well," Ryoga murmured, easily becoming lost in the memory. "It was the first time we were all together in the same house for what felt like forever."

"Really?" Ranma asked, seeming surprised by this. "I guess he must be busy a lot."

"Oh, it's not just that," Ryoga answered sadly. "Remember what I told Dr. Tofu? About how my whole family has the same lousy sense of direction?"

"Yeah," Ranma nodded, recalling how frequently Ryoga had gotten lost before Dr. tofu's treatment. Then his eyes went wide in realization. "Aw, man! You're kidding me?! You mean that you never get to even see them?!"

"Well, no. But we don't see each other very often," Ryoga answered. "In fact, that day when he came home, it was the first we were all together in the same house in…" Trailing off, Ryoga then knotted his brows in concentration. "In fact…I don't even remember how long it had been since we had all seen each other."

"Whew," Ranma got out. Then he smiled curiously. "So, it sounds like you were all pretty excited to see each other, huh?"

"Definitely," Ryoga nodded. "And Checkers, our dog? You should've seen the way she was jumping about! I think that was about the happiest day of her life." His lip curling up in thought, he went on. "In fact, to celebrate, we went to this big carnival that was going on in town. Luckily, our neighbors wanted to go as well, and so they helped us get there."

"Oh, yeah?" Ranma spoke, trying to a picture the Hibiki family on such an outing. "But, seriously, what's your old man like, anyway?"

"Him? Oh, he's a big guy, with this huge beard," Ryoga explained. "I guess he looks pretty fierce, but he's really patient. Kind. But he wasn't the kind of person people would want to push around, trust me on that!" Frowning slightly, he then wondered, "So…why do you ask?"

"I dunno. Just curious, I guess," Ranma finally answered. "So, anyway…what you gonna do about Shampoo, huh?"

Exhaling deeply as this problem was returned to the forefront of his mind, Ryoga finally said, "I don't know. I mean…if this is some law, then she's not going to just go away, is she?"

Just as Ranma was getting ready to say that giving up and going home just wasn't something Shampoo did, the pounding of feet was heard, just a cry of girlish delight was heard. "Ryoga! _Airen!!"_ came the voice of their Amazonian guest. Flipping about, Ranma was just in time to watch as the lavender-haired girl flung herself on top of Ryoga.

"H-hey! Cut it out!" Ryoga cried out, blushing furiously as Shampoo drew herself tightly to him, wrapping her arms about his frame. While she was giggling happily, the fanged warrior held up his hands like he was uncertain whether he should embrace Shampoo or shove her away. Leaving him helpless to do anything but just lie there, blushing and babbling helplessly.

While Ranma was wondering what, if anything, he should do in this situation, another sound penetrated his consciousness. The sound of fists pounding upon some unfortunate target.

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Sweating beading on her brow and her body feeling the minor discomforts that came with an extensive workout, Akane continued to vent her frustration on the practice dummy before her. Anger fueling her every move, she sent various kicks and punches at the inanimate adversary. Anger that failed to be expended upon the thing of straw, wood, and cloth.

Making matters even worse was the fact that Akane wasn't even sure why she was so angry to begin with.

_What's wrong with me?! Why am I so mad about this, anyway?! _Akane demanded even as she fired off another volley of blows at the practice dummy. The image of Shampoo draping herself about Ryoga, who suffered her embrace while doing nothing to fight, continued to spur her fury onward. _We're just friends, right?! Sure, he helped me train, and we went to a movie together! But that doesn't mean that we're…that I…and he…!_

Her mind finally giving up on such thoughts, Akane found her anger spiking to new heights, and with a savage growl, she directed a truly devastating kick at the target. The battered dummy had already taken a great deal of abuse, and this kick put an end to its immediate usefulness by snapping the wooden pole it stood on. The dummy itself flew up into the sky before finally tumbling back down to the ground. It did one tiny bounce back into the air, and then came to rest with its painted eyes staring up in defeat.

A disgusted grunt escaped Akane's lips as she came back to her senses and realized what had happened. Breathing heavily, the youngest Tendo mopped her brow before pressing her lips together irritably. For at any other time, such an extensive practice would have left her feeling much better, or at least somewhat less annoyed with life in general.

Not this time. In fact, as she looked down at her target, Akane found herself hating it for giving out on her so readily. Feeling as if she had swallowed a liter of acid and it was now eating at her insides, she towards the dummy, intent on fixing it and having another go.

"Yo! Akane!" came Ranma's voice. Starting at this, Akane quickly looked about. Then she looked up towards the roof of the nearby dojo, she saw her so-called fiancée standing on the edge.

"What do you want, Ranma?" Akane wondered somewhat crossly.

"Huh?" Ranma got out, as if surprised at her tone. Then he studied the scene below, and looked annoyed as well. "Okay, so what did I do _this _time?!"

"And what's that supposed to mean?!" Akane demanded, her anger spiking again.

"Well, you're sparring partner?" Ranma commented, jerking a thumb in the fallen dummy's direction. "I could be wrong, but he looks kinda familiar."

Blinking rapidly at this assessment, Akane focused on the dummy as well, before placing her hand to her forehead and letting out a defeated groan. When Ranma had moved into her home and been revealed to her fiancée, Akane had quickly found a great many things to be irritating about this arrangement in general, and Ranma in particular. As such, she had modified the dummy so it was garbed with a red Chinese shirt and pigtail, so it would do for venting her frustrations when it came to both.

Groaning despairingly, Akane lowered her gaze and tersely answered, "You didn't do anything." Not giving Ranma to say anything in response, she then asked, "So, was there something you wanted?"

"Not really," Ranma replied elusively. With an easy jump, he then alighted on the ground beside her. "So…if it's not me you're mad at, then who is it?"

"It's none of your business," Akane shot back grumpily. Suddenly too tired to really vent her wrath, but unsure of what to do with that which remained.

"Okay. Have it your way," Ranma replied disinterestedly. "I guess if Shampoo's getting all snuggly with Ryoga, it really doesn't mean anything to you."

This got Akane's attention. "She's _what?!?"_ she demanded, turning on her heel and locking her formidable gaze on her fellow warrior.

"Whoa, _that _sure got your attention!" Ranma smiled laughingly. Caught at this, Akane flushed and turned about, deliberately hiding her face from him. "So…if it's not me that you're mad at, then who is it?"

"And just what makes you think I'm mad at anybody?!" Akane retorted, painfully aware of just how much her ire was showing. Still hiding her face, she tried to focus. "I mean…why would I be mad?"

"I don't know you. You tell me!" Ranma shrugged. Moments passed in agonizing silence before he spoke again. "You know, for a guy with a cute girl like that after, Ryoga sure didn't look too happy about it." Unable to help herself, Akane let a questioning noise echo about her throat. "Then again, considering how obsessive Shampoo is, I guess I can't blame him."

"Really?" Akane got out. Then she realized just how eager she had sounded, and blushed nervously. "Well, that is…"

"I mean, it's not like a guy would just fall in love with a girl he doesn't even know. Not even _Ryoga's_ that thick!" Ranma continued casually. "All that 'love at first sight' junk is just stupid, fairytale stuff."

"Shampoo doesn't act that way," Akane pointed out acidly.

"Eh, who can figure out a girl like her, anyway?" Ranma wondered rhetorically. "I mean, seriously! That whole 'kill the girls and marry the guys' thing is total Stone Age, and she takes it like gospel!" Then he grinned mischievously. "Then again, I guess it _would _take a really weird girl to fall for Ryoga in the first place."

"Excuse me?" Akane growled, looking dangerously at the pigtailed boy. "Ranma, if you're saying that I -!"

"Hey, I didn't say nothing!" Ranma protested. "I was just thinking that I…"

"Ranma?!" another voice then broke in. Ranma and Akane both froze, their eyes widening as they processed the Chinese-accented voice, just before the wall of the dojo exploded outwards. Blinded by the dust and left coughing, the two of them both shielded their faces as the dust and debris flew past. When the sound of destruction finally passed, Ranma and Akane finally looked up, and groaned in dismay as Shampoo popped out to stand between them.

"Where Ranma! I kill!" Shampoo snarled, a mace in each hand as she looked dangerously about.

Growling in her throat, Akane turned away from their unwanted guest. While her fiancée was left nervously explaining, "Um…wrong Ranma, Shampoo."

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There was something about having an assassin nearby that made a guy nervous.

Ranma was a martial artist, and a damned good one, in his own mind. He was used to fighting for just about any reason, whether it was because some jerk thought he was better than him, or just to win his daily meals. And he was comfortable with combat being such an extensive part of his life. But he also knew that there were some battles that he would much rather not fight. And going toe-to-toe with someone obsessed with putting him down for a dirt nap over a lost feat was definitely pretty low on his 'to-do' list.

Which was why, as he eagerly ate his evening repast, gladly stuffing his face with rice, Ranma couldn't help but keep at least one eye on Shampoo. For even though the Amazon was still being cute with Ryoga, she was still at least partially on the alert. And her eyes were constantly locked on at least one person who could betray him.

"You _sure _you no know where girl-type Ranma is?" Shampoo asked through narrowed eyes and clenched lips.

Lowering his gaze, Genma answered, "Look, I've told you before! She comes and goes whenever she wants!" When Shampoo sniffed disbelievingly, the elder Saotome continued. "Honestly, she is such an ungrateful thing! Always taking off at a whim, disappearing for days on end, and probably getting into manner of trouble which she then needs _me _to fix!"

_Watch it, old man! _Ranma sneered inwardly, wishing he could do something without somehow betraying his secret.

"But she come back here, yes?" Shampoo asked pointedly.

"I have no doubt of it. Mark my words, the brazen little tramp will show up here, sooner or later," Genma rumbled on. Looking every inch the dutiful, disapproving father, with his scowling face and folded arms. A role Ranma knew he could pull off very nicely when he wanted to. "Honestly, she has no respect for anything or anyone!"

"Like you're one to talk," Ranma muttered beneath his breath. Grumbling even as Shampoo gave an affirmative noise to Genma's words.

"So, Shampoo, I guess…you'll be staying in town for a while, eh?" Soun asked quietly.

Nodding affirmatively, Shampoo answered, "Have to. Is Amazon law. Must stay until kill girl-type Ranma." Then she glomped onto to Ryoga, cooing happily. "And we is married!"

"H-hey, come on!" Ryoga muttered bashfully. "I never…well, that is…I mean…"

"Don't be so bashful, Ryoga!" Soun smiled fatherly. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. This sort of thing is perfectly natural."

"That's right," Kasumi agreed with a gentle smile. "Though I can certainly understand you being nervous. After all, getting married is certainly a very serious thing."

"I – but- that is, I -!" Ryoga floundered helplessly. A situation made worse by Shampoo tightening her grip on him.

"Kasumi…" Akane sighed unhappily.

"Now, now, it's nothing to be ashamed of," Kasumi went on. "It's quite natural."

Unable to help himself, Ranma found himself laughing at Ryoga's embarrassment, and at a blush that was growing deeper with every passing second. Chuckling mildly, the pigtailed warrior brought down his chopsticks with the intent of helping himself to one of the fish that was part of his dinner…only to frown at the sound of wood connecting with wood.

"Huh?" Ranma got out, looking down at his place at the table. To his surprise, not only were all his fish gone, but most of the pickled vegetables that had been served to him as well. Looking wildly about, he scanned the table, as if expecting the rest of his dinner to appear from out of nowhere. "What the -?!" Ranma started again, trying to figure out what had happened, until a quiet belch froze him in place. With a suspicious growl, he slowly shifted his eyes towards where his father, who was seated right next to him.

"What is it, Ranma?" Kasumi wondered. "Didn't you like your dinner?"

"Oh, that's not it, Kasumi," Ranma grumbled, balling up his hands into fists. "The fact is, I'm sure I'd've lliked it just fine…if I'd actually been able to eat it!" With this declaration, the pigtailed warrior lashed out at his father,, driving a powerful blow straight towards his face.

Grunting in surprise, Genma leaned back and allowed the blow to pass overhead harmlessly. Bracing himself up with his hands, he then flipped himself into the air. "Now, Ranma, take it easy!" the portly martial artist protested.

"Take it easy?!" Ranma repeated incredulously as he propelled himself after his father, launching into a kick as he did. "You stole half my dinner!"

Dodging the kick, Genma retorted, "Forgive me, son, but it was for your own good!" Doing a series of jumps that put him out of harm's way, he lectured, "The fact that I was able to do something like that only proves that you let your guard down too easily!"

"Is that a fact, huh?!" Ranma snarled, leaping at his father with both fists at the ready.

"Indeed! If I were an enemy, I wouldn't hesitate to attack, just because it was mealtime!" Genma went on, continuing to dodge his son's ferocious onslaught. "A true martial artist must be at the ready at all times!"

"I guess I should, considering what a stupid old man I have for a father!" Ranma countered.

"Aiyaa. They is both strong warriors," Shampoo noted, taking a break for cuddling Ryoga to pay attention to the fight.

"Yeah, I guess so," Ryoga muttered, for once unhappy to have Shampoo looking away. Though he wasn't interested in her – something he forcibly reminded himself of – the thought that _Ranma _would turn a woman's head away from him was an irksome one.

"Oh, is you jealous?" Shampoo asked. Clearly, for as faulty as her Japanese was, she understood the bitter tone in Ryoga's voice all too well. Seeming to warm to this notion, the Amazon snuggled up even more tightly with Ryoga, her attention solely on him.

Which was why she missed the sight of Ranma and Genma bounding about the pond in the middle of the yard, scrapping fiercely at each other, all thoughts on their combat. And why she didn't see Ranma launch into a fly kick aimed straight at this father, a kick that sent Genma flying into one of the walls. And why she was completely unaware that, having successfully tagged his father, Ranma smiled in triumph, only to be brought up short when the rebound from that kick sent him straight into the pond.

Drops of sweat appeared on the brows of Ryoga and some of the Tendos, Kasumi gasped lightly at the sight, and Shampoo frowned before returning her attention to the scene of the battle, wondering what she had missed. And thus she was just in time to see a busty redhead gasp for air, shake some of the water free of her hair…and realize that she was in big, _big _trouble.

Before Ryoga realized what had happened, Shampoo hissed hatefully and shoved him aside. "Girl-type Ranma! You I kill!" the Amazon declared, bringing forth a massive curved sword and one of her maces from seemingly nowhere.

With a deadly oath in Chinese, Shampoo leapt out towards the pond. Crying out fearfully, Ranma quickly jumped out of the pond, barely avoiding the edge of the Amazon's blade as she swung it just overhead. Scrabbling on her hands and knees until she finally found her feet, Ranma threw herself into a full run, with Shampoo a painfully short distance away.

In an effort to get some distance from her would-be assassin, Ranma leapt to the top of the wall surrounding the Tendo estate, pleading for Shampoo to listen to reason. The Amazon wasn't feeling particularly reasonable, and responded to the verbal entreaties with her weapons, gouging massive hole in the wall in the process.

"Oh, no…" Soun muttered despondently. "Somehow, I have this feeling that this is going to end badly…"

No sooner than these words had passed from his lips than Ranma sought safe haven within the Tendo household itself. The redhead and her Amazonian pursuer ran through the dining room, leaving a smashed table and several stunned individuals in their wake before Ranma plunged through the paper doors. As Shampoo chased after her, noises of destruction were soon being heard elsewhere in the house.

"Oh, my," Kasumi got out, having somehow rescued the teapot from Shampoo's rampage. "I suppose I'll have to call a repairman tomorrow."

"I don't believe this! The way those two are going, we'll need an entire new house at this rate!" Akane snarled, rising to her feet. A mallet appearing in her hands, she eyed the path taken by the other two girls.

"Akane, wait! What are you doing?!" Ryoga asked, shoving himself up to a standing position.

"I'm gonna put those crazies in their place! _For Keeps!_" Akane declared fiercely.

"But Akane, you can't!" Ryoga protested, standing before her.

"Excuse me?! Why not?!" Akane demanded. "I can't just stand around here, watching them wreck my home!"

"But if you fight Shampoo, she'll give you the Kiss of Death! And then she'll be after you as well!" Ryoga explained worriedly.

"Akane, Ryoga's right!" Soun told her. When his daughter looked to protest, he took her by her shoulders and looked at her intently. "Please, Akane! The last thing I want is for you to have a death warrant on your head as well!"

Her face twisting with frustration, Akane finally lowered her gaze. "Okay, fine! But I'm still going with him! This is my home, too, you know!" Whipping about to face Ryoga, she told him. "Let's go, Ryoga! Before those two idiots destroy the entire place!"

"Okay," Ryoga nodded, not knowing how to dissuade her from her chosen course. As one, they followed the path of destruction paved by the hunter and the hunted. Completely missing the scheming smile that spread across Nabiki's face.

--------------------------------------------------------------

_I'm gonna get Pop for this one, I swear it!! _Ranma thought wrathfully as she replayed a scene that had become all too frequent in her travels in China; running for her life from a blood-thirsty Amazon, her ears filled with Shampoo's wrathful. A chase that wouldn't end until she found some hot water to change back with, or she somehow managed to ditch her pursuer. With the latter rarely being easy. _If I live through this, that is!!_

"Ranma!!" Shampoo cried out again, adding a bit of extra speed to Ranma's feet.

"Aw, just go away already!!" Ranma cried out. With the sound of one Shampoo's maces being her answer.

Leaping onto one of the rooftops, Ranma tried to find some avenue escape. Spot some hiding spot or a convenient kettle for her use. Neither was in evidence, however, and so she continued to run.

"Stop right there, Shampoo!" came Ryoga's voice. Surprised by this, Ranma looked about, and saw both her rival and Akane approaching.

"Ryoga?" Shampoo asked, sounding surprised by this development. But more importantly from Ranma's perspective, her attention was momentarily elsewhere. Meaning that she had a tiny window of opportunity. Propelling herself forward with all her speed, Ranma then leapt off the roof, fully intent in burying herself in one of the bushes. Only to squawk in surprise as she felt a wave of hot water rush over her body.

"What the -?!" Ranma got out even as she shifted from female to male. Then he looked up…and saw Nabiki standing over her with a kettle in hand and a devious smirk on her face.

"Nice save, huh, Ranma?" Nabiki said. Then she leaned forward, the sound of cash registers sounding with her voice. "I figure…2000 yen should cover it."

"Huh?!" Ranma squeaked out.

"I just saved your life," Nabiki elaborated, smiling at the sheer thought of those yen. "If you think about it, 2000 yen is a bargain in comparison."

_Of course, _Ranma grumbled inwardly, having already been on the business end of some of Nabiki's money-making schemes.

"Well, excuse me, but I don't have that kind of cash on me," Ranma retorted snidely. "Besides, after all the trouble I got into with that idiot Kuno because of you, why should I pay you _anything?"_

"Because Shampoo's right around that corner," Nabiki pointed out. Frowning, Ranma took a moment to listen, and sure enough, he heard three voices, one of which belonged to the Amazon.

"So what?" Ranma wondered as he got to his feet. "I'm a guy right now, and she's only out to kill the girl me, remember?"

"Oh, I remember," Nabiki smiled deviously, making a quick movement with her left hand. Then Ranma felt a spout of cold water against his face, and was once again transformed.

"Hey, watch it!" Ranma protested feebly. When the water subsided, she stared in disbelief at the squirt gun in Nabiki's hand.

"Which is why I brought this cute little thing along!" Nabiki explained, holding the child's toy up to her.

"Why, you…!!" Ranma gritted furiously. Careful to keep her voice down so that her Amazonian pursuer couldn't hear her.

"Now, how about it, Ranma?" Nabiki smirked, dangling the kettle that was her salvation tauntingly. "Of course, since I have to give you even more water, the price has gone up. To, say…5150 yen?"

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"Ryoga! Why you stop me?!" Shampoo asked, looking furious and hurt at the same time. "Now girl-type Ranma gone again!"

"Shampoo, you have to listen to me!" Ryoga told her. "Look, I understand why you want to kill that idiot! But you can't go off like this!"

"That's right! Just look what you did to my home!" Akane growled, gesturing at the tattered estate. At the numerous holes left by Shampoo herself. "You can't just go around, destroying everything in sight, just because of some stupid grudge!"

"Is no stupid! Shampoo must kill girl-type Ranma! Can never go home if don't!" Shampoo explained in all seriousness. "Why Ryoga no understand?!"

"Hey, it's not that I don't understand! I just want you to be a little more careful, that's all!" Ryoga explained, frowning as he was reminded as to the intensity of Amazon law. "You can't just destroy everything in sight, okay?"

"Yeah, there are laws here, too, y'know!" Akane seconded. "If you have to go kill somebody, at least do it someplace else!"

Shampoo frowned at this. "Never been outside Amazon Village before," she confessed. Then her frown deepened as she studied them. "There is law against damaging house?"

"Yes, of _course _there are laws against destroying other people's property!" Akane retorted incredulously. Then her annoyance became tinged with confusion. "What, don't you have laws like that?"

Shampoo just shook her head to this. "Amazons always fighting. Accidents happen every day," she explained. "If bad accident happen, Amazons help up and fix damaged home. Is Amazon law." Cocking her head, Shampoo asked, "You no have laws like that?"

"Yes, but they don't work that way…" Akane started hesitantly.

"_You've gotta be kidding!" _came a hushed female voice. A voice that was filled with horrified disbelief, and was just barely audible to their ears. But it was still a voice that triggered every instinct that had been honed to sharpness within Shampoo.

"Girl-type Ranma!" Shampoo snarled. Before either Ryoga or Akane could move, the Amazon warrior shot towards the bushes, lashing out with her sword. To their surprise, they heard two voices crying out in response.

"What the -?!" Akane started, then she tightened her grip on her mallet. "C'mon, Ryoga!"

Rushing towards the rustling bushes, Akane was just in time to see Ranma leap into the air, with Shampoo still in hot pursuit. Momentarily staggered, she looked wildly about and saw Nabiki standing against a wall, a kettle in hand.

"Oh, great! You brought some hot water!" Akane gasped in relief. Before Nabiki could do anything to protest, the younger Tendo yanked the kettle from her grasp. "Ryoga!" she then cried out, tossing the kettle in his direction. "Quick! You have to get this to Ranma before Shampoo gets him!"

"Uh, right!" Ryoga replied, accepting the kettle with a measure of uncertainty. When Akane signaled for him to hurry, the fanged warrior nodded and leapt into the air, and began his own pursuit.

"Oh, great," Nabiki grumbled. When Akane turned to look at her, she sighed morosely. "Well, he's owes for 5150. I guess that's not too bad."

Blinking rapidly, Akane then realized why Ranma was still female, despite her proximity to hot water. "Ooh…Nabiki!!"

"Hey, I was just trying to make a little extra spending money!" Nabiki protested instantly. "You can't blame for that."

_Sometimes, I blame you for breathing! _Akane gritted inwardly.

------------------------------------------------------------

_I don't believe this! _Ryoga thought as he took to the rooftops. Ranma and Shampoo just within visual range, and moving at top speed. _If someone had ever told me I'd be trying to save Ranma…_

Growling over the bitter irony of this situation, Ryoga did his best to keep both girls in sight. Despite the dramatic improvement to his sense of direction, he didn't like the odds of his finding them again if he lost track of them for so much as a moment.

Springing from rooftop to rooftop, Ryoga moved as quickly as he could, his fangs bared in frustration as he failed to gain on them. For despite the fact that Ranma and Shampoo were moving haphazardly, scrambling one way, then the next, leaving chaos and destruction in their way every step of the way. And despite taking as direct a course as possible, Ryoga seemed unable to close the gap between them.

"Curse you, Ranma! Why do you have to be so fast, anyway?!" Ryoga snarled, the frustration getting the better of him. The temptation to just give it up as a bad job and leave his rival to whatever agonizing fate Shampoo had in mind for him was a strong one for him.

But just as the nasty voice in Ryoga was telling him to just let Ranma _finally _get what was coming to him, two things came forth and stopped that voice. One was his pride as a martial artist. The need to settle matters with his rival with his own hands, rather than let a proxy do his dirty work.

Then there was another, far more recent thing. The desperate look on Akane's face when she asked Ryoga to go seek out Ranma on her behalf. The kindly face of the girl who had already given him so much kindness drove him forth, kept Ryoga moving forward. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to give him the speed her needed in order to overtake the two of them.

_C'mon, Ranma! Look _this _way! Come back my way and you'll be able to change back! _Ryoga thought irritably. Wishing he could take this thought, shoot it like an arrow, and place it in the space between Ranma's ears.

As this thought caused a genuine laugh to escape Ryoga's lips, he was then stopped cold by something that was definitely not funny. Lost in the need for escape and handicapped by the darkness of night, Ranma had blundered into a series of clotheslines hanging in someone's backyard. The gender-bending martial artist was now completely tangled up in them, and Shampoo was right there. And even though he was still far away, Ryoga could have sworn that he could see a genuine grin of triumph on her face.

_Ranma, you idiot! You had to pick _now _to screw up?! _Ryoga fumed as he studied the situation. He was still a long distance away, too far to be able to reach either of them and be in time. Already Shampoo was raising her sword, preparing to deliver the final blow. _Dammit, Ryoga! Think! There's got to be something you can do! You've got to get the hot water to him before -!_

It was then that Ryoga was thunderstruck by inspiration. Holding up the kettle, Ryoga acted on sheer impulse and quickly tore several bandanas from his head. Whirling them up to speed, the fanged warrior then tossed the teakettle straight and sure towards Ranma, followed closely by the spinning bandanas. Then he stood and watched, waiting to see if his aim had been true.

Before his anxious eyes, Ryoga watched as the teakettle flew forth, striking Shampoo upon her sword hand. While the Amazon was grunting in pain, the kettle hung in the air above Ranma, and remained there just long enough for the metal-hard bandanas caught up with it, and sliced it apart. And before Shampoo's eyes, the hot water erupted all over her prey, and triggered the transformation.

A questioning squeak escaped Shampoo's lips as she watched Ranma revert back to his male form. "Ranma?" she eventually gasped, studying the martial artist. Setting aside her sword, she started feeling him over, her hand patting his chest for any sign of the breasts that had been there before.

"Yeah, that's Ranma," Ryoga called out as he finally arrived. Trying not to be annoyed as Shampoo investigated more of his rival's body, checking out the obviously male attributes he now had.

"Ryoga!" Ranma grunted as he hung from the clotheslines, trapped like a fly in a spider's web.

"So, what do you think, huh, Ranma?" Ryoga grinned superiorly. "How does it feel, knowing that I saved your life?"

Ranma frowned irritably at this, clearly humiliated by both his predicament and his need for a rescuer. "Saved my life, huh?" he asked irritably.

"Well, sure," Ryoga went on. "She's not trying to kill you anymore, is she?"

"Ryoga?" Shampoo got out, her eyes practically bulging out of her sockets as she looked from one boy to the next. "Ranma…has Jusenkyo curse, too?"

"Uh, yeah. That's right," Ranma muttered irritably. "Now would someone mind cutting me down from here?"

"Wait, wait! Is important!" Shampoo countered, looking squarely at Ryoga. "Ranma…which is he? Real woman…or real _man?"_

"Huh?" Ryoga got out, even as Shampoo closed in on him, her desperate face closer to his than he was comfortable with. "Well, uh…he's a guy, normally." Blinking rapidly, Shampoo finally backed away, and placed her hand upon her forehead. "Hey, what is it?"

"Shampoo have headache…" the Amazon muttered, massaging her temples pitifully.

-----------------------------------------------------

"_What do you mean, you can't marry Ryoga?!" _Soun demanded, staring in horror at Shampoo, Genma's expression reflecting his own astonishment.

A short time had passed since the three warriors had returned to the Tendo residence, and now the entire household was gathered in the tattered living room. Ryoga and Ranma had reported what had happened during the chase, though Ranma grumbled when they reached the part when he had gotten caught in the clothesline.

Everyone there had taken the report quite well. And Genma had been quite relieved when he found out that Shampoo was presently not interested in further attempts on his son. Just before Shampoo reported there was a complication to her learning the truth regarding Ranma's true gender.

"Yeah, what's that supposed to mean, anyway?!" Genma demanded. "I thought you said that you had to marry the man who beat you! That's its Amazon law!"

"Is true," Shampoo explained. "But Ranma beat Shampoo first, even though was girl."

"Oh, and let me guess," Nabiki grinned from where she was seated. "First come, first served, right?"

Nodding, Shampoo then frowned unhappily. "But…Shampoo not sure if that count," she finally admitted. When several noises of surprise rose at this, she elaborated. "Ranma defeat Shampoo as woman, not man. So don't know if it count."

"Oh, my. Does that mean you might still try to kill Ranma?" Kasumi murmured, her hand on her cheek. "I'd really rather you didn't do that."

"Shampoo not know what to do. Jusenkyo curse not covered in Amazon law," Shampoo admitted, seemingly embarrassed by this hole in the laws of her people.

"Then what are you going to do?" Ranma wondered. "Go back home and ask somebody what to do?"

"No can go back home!" Shampoo retorted fiercely. Then her face clouded over with confusion. "But…Shampoo don't know what to do. Need advice from great-grandmother."

"Your great-grandmother?" Akane repeated wonderingly.

"Cologne is elder of Amazon village," Shampoo answered certainly. "Shampoo write to her, explain what happened. She know what to do."

"Well, okay," Ryoga replied, feeling a bit out of his element as well.

"Ryoga, Shampoo sorry," the Amazon told him, genuinely sympathetic as she looked at him. Then she turned and looked at Ranma. "But if great-grandmother says Ranma be treated as man, then Shampoo will have to marry Ranma."

The instant these words were said, the entire house was plunged into silence. Even the cicadas stopped chirping for what felt like forever. But just because there was silence didn't mean there was piece. Both Soun and Genma puffed up in obvious horror, staring at Shampoo like she was a harbinger of doom. Then, both purpling with shock, they shouted, "You'll _whaaaat?!!?!"_

"Seriously?" Ryoga sputtered. Not sure whether to be disappointed or relieved by this.

Nodding, Shampoo then eyed Ranma with a hint of apology. "But if great-grandmother says you count as girl, then Shampoo have to kill Ranma anyway." While Ranma was sweat-dropping at this, the Amazon started out of the living room. "Shampoo better get started on letter. This very confusing, and Shampoo need advise soon!"

Watching as the one-woman wrecking crew exited the living room, the resident patriarchs looked at each other with a growing sense of dread. "Saotome, I have this terrible feeling that things are about to get even worse."

"Same here, Tendo," Genma answered, placing his hand to his temple. A motion that Soun mirrored, the both of them slowly sinking to the floor.

"Great. Just great," Ranma grumbled. "And now she isn't sure whether she wants to kill me or marry me! Like I don't have it hard enough!"

"Hey, that reminds me," Nabiki grinned, looking meaningfully at the younger Saotome. "When do you plan on paying the 5150 yen you still owe me?"

His mouth popping open, Ranma grimaced before placing his own hand to his forehead. He then lay back down, another victim of the plague of headaches that was spreading through the Tendo household.

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Author's Notes: Well, this was another tough one to crank out. Still, I hope everyone will read and review! And maybe check out my other stories as well?

Now, before anyone says anything, I would like to point out that I'm really not a big fan of Nabiki's. The middle daughter of the Tendo family has been on my Bad List for some time now, simply because of her greed and scheming ways. The way she's always looking to make money, often at the expense of her own family, truly grates on me.

Count-zechs00, you raise some very valid points. But it's my belief that Ryoga very rarely uses his full strength against girls. Remember when he first encounters Ukyo, and Akane tells him that she's a girl? Now, true, Ryoga thinks that Ukyo's a boy, but he still doesn't seem to go after her at full strength.

As for the situation with Shampoo, and Ryoga being fickle, it's true. He does tend to be fickle, but the he quickly berates himself for betraying Akane, like during that fiasco when Ukyo sets him up on a date with Akane.

Anyway, I really didn't want to leave Ryoga in that situation very long, simply because there's an entirely different angle I want to play up with here. I'll be going into that more in-depth in later chapters.

Loverly Light, thanks for the kind words. As for Ranma and Kodachi, I'm not too sure if they'll end up together, but I do plan on having some moments with each other. Just portraying as her as being crazy just because she's crazy doesn't really interest me in the slightest. Still, I will admit that there is a definite shortage of Ranma/Kodachi fics out there…hmm.

Ganheim, again you raise some very valid points, both to my story and the way it's written. I'm going to have to make some more edits, I see. However, I have no intention of having Ryoga replace Ranma as a target for everybody's affections. Kodachi is locked firmly on Ranma, and Ukyo has no reason to go after Ryoga, either. As for Shampoo, she's confused right now, and a confused Amazon makes for a potentially dangerous Amazon, which is something I'll be getting into later.


	13. Preparations Begin

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 13: Preparations Begin

For Kasumi Tendo, the most important thing of all was family.

It was no secret that the Tendo family had seen more than its share of rough times, especially since her mother had passed away. And given the different personalities that lived beneath the roof of the Tendo dojo, she knew that it was inevitable that there would be flare-ups and difficulties. There had been before, and she knew that they would continue. This was proving to be especially true in light of the new additions to their household, and the chaos that each had seemed to bring along for the ride.

Still, Kasumi was a gentle person at heart, and she had survived knowing that her family needed each other. Each of them supported each other in their own ways, each had their own roles to fulfill, their own duties and quests. Soun oversaw the dojo, and would begin teaching just as soon as they found new students to train there, Nabiki kept a watch on their finances, and Akane was the obvious choice to carry on the dojo, to bear the next generation of martial artists at Ranma's side. That was just the way things worked.

As for her, her role to care for those who lived in her house, to make sure that meals were prepared as best as she could with what was on hand, to mend the clothes and maintain their home, and generally see to the emotional well-being of those who lived there, to help insure that they grew in the right way. And though this was challenging to the brink of impossible, Kasumi did so without complaint or hesitation, knowing that this was her role in life. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

At that moment, Kasumi was in her personal corner of the Tendo household, busily preparing breakfast even as the rest of the family went about their morning routines. Ranma and Genma were fighting in the yard, and would probably need some hot water, Ryoga and Akane were going for a running workout, with the fanged warrior showing her some of the finer points of working with weights. Soun was sweeping out the walkway, and Nabiki…well, she had no real schedule, so she just did what she did in the living room. As a result, Kasumi had the kitchen to herself, as was usual.

Or that was what Kasumi thought. Right until she heard the sound of footsteps coming up from behind her.

Momentarily wondering if someone had come to inquire when breakfast would be ready, Kasumi looked about. Only to see the very latest arrival to Nerima behind her. "Oh! Good morning, Shampoo!"

"Nihao," Shampoo replied in her native dialect. While Kasumi wasn't sure as to the exact meaning of the word, she could tell that the Amazon's greeting wasn't particularly heartfelt.

Frowning as she studied the lavender-haired , Kasumi asked, "Is something wrong? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Shaking her head slowly, Shampoo finally eyed Kasumi. "Not sleep at all. Too much thinking to do," the Amazon murmured tiredly. "Even writing letter to great-grandmother take most of night."

"I see," Kasumi nodded, seeing how that could happen, giving the complicated nature of her situation. A situation that caused her to frown in how it pertained to her family. "Shampoo…there's something I need to ask you." A puzzled squeak escaped the lavender-haired 's lips at this. "Is it true that your laws might actually require you to marry Ranma?"

"If he count as man when he fight Shampoo, then yes," the Amazon confirmed. "Why you ask?"

"Well, it's just that Ranma is already betrothed to Akane," Kasumi explained, wanting to understand the situation better. When Shampoo gave the Tendo matriarch a look of surprise, she elaborated, "Our fathers decided that they should be married, to merge the Anything-Goes school and make sure that it is continued. So, I was wondering…what happens when you are beaten by a man who is already engaged?"

"Other engagements not matter. If great-grandmother say Ranma count as man when she defeat Shampoo, the Shampoo marry Ranma," she answered matter-of-factly.

"Oh, my," Kasumi murmured, bringing her hand up to her cheek. "I was afraid that might be the case."

"Shampoo sorry. No want cause trouble," the Amazon told her earnestly. "But have no choice. Shampoo must obey Amazon law."

Studying the woman warrior's expression, Kasumi could well see the sincerity with which she spoke. And while she wasn't happy about the situation, she knew that many countries had varying laws that sometimes didn't mesh too well with each other. And while she never expected to have to deal with such a situation herself, the stability of her family had once before demanded that she learn and adapt. This was just another case of that.

"Hmmm…still, you must realize how difficult this makes things for us. Not just for Ranma, of course, but also Ryoga, Akane, and the rest of us," Kasumi pointed out. "And from the look of you, I know you're not comfortable with it, either."

"This true," Shampoo murmured sadly. "Shampoo not know which man she belong with. Not sure…" Her eyes lowering that much more, the Amazon pressed her lips tightly together. "Saw Ryoga run off with Akane before."

"Run off? Oh, for their morning workout!" Kasumi deduced after a moment's thought. But this realization caused her to frown somewhat. "But…why does that upset you? They're just out exercising."

"If Ryoga Shampoo's husband, than Shampoo should be with Ryoga. Make breakfast, train…do everything together," Shampoo muttered her Japanese breaking down a bit more. "But…if Ranma's wife…then should be with Ranma. But…" The lavender-haired then heaved a heavy sigh, clenching her hands as if she wanted to beat her problems into submission. "Shampoo should be with one of them, but not know which one!"

If anything, Kasumi found herself becoming even more confused by the Amazon's dilemma. "But…Shampoo…" the gentle woman began, sounding out her words. "Even if you are supposed to be…engaged with one of them…that doesn't mean you have to be with him all the time! And besides, you're still too young to be married, and -!"

"No is too young!" Shampoo declared instantly, her eyes narrowing with her warrior's determination. "If Amazon is of age of fighting, is also of age of marriage! Shampoo became of age five year ago!"

"Five…?!" Kasumi gasped, bringing her hand to her cheek. "But…you would have been about…ten years old then! And…" Blinking a few times at her guest, the Tendo matriarch gathered her thoughts. "You mean…you would be allowed to get married at…?!"

Nodding, the Amazon declared, "If Shampoo is defeated at ten years, then Shampoo marry at ten years. That is Amazon law." Then she sagged somewhat before adding, "But…Shampoo never expect defeat by woman who is man."

"Oh, my," Kasumi murmured, realizing this situation with Shampoo's laws was even more complicated than she realized. "It must be difficult for you, watching them when you don't know what to do." When the Amazon gave a half-hearted nod, Kasumi gave the matter some thought. "Shampoo…if it's really that difficult for you to be here right now…why don't you stay someplace else? At least until you hear from your great-grandmother?" Shampoo made a questioning sound in her throat as her face lit up with surprise. "Don't get me wrong, I don't mind your company, but…right now, you don't even know what you are supposed to do, or who you're supposed to marry, or any of that. And you've already caused a great deal of damage to our home."

"Shampoo know," the Amazon nodded. "Will help repair house, if you like."

"Thank you. I really do appreciate the thought," Kasumi smiled, heartened by this offer. Clearly, when operating outside the dictates of her people's laws, Shampoo could be reasoned with. "But still, I don't think it would be proper for you to keep living here." Even as Shampoo was frowning unhappily at this, the Tendo matriarch smiled heartening before stepping closer. "Besides, watching Ranma and Ryoga and tormenting yourself about what to do isn't going to make things easier for you. And perhaps if you…distanced yourself from everything for a little while, it would make it easier for you to handle everything. Maybe decide what to do while you're waiting."

Pressing her lips together, Shampoo narrowed her eyes in thought. "Is…possible…" she finally murmured. "But…Shampoo have nowhere else to stay. And not know anything about Japanese law, so…"

"I see. Still, I don't think that's going to be a problem," Kasumi told her easily. "As it happens, I think I know the perfect place to stay for now."

"Really?" Shampoo got out, clearly surprised by this.

"Yes. You see, Dr. Tofu – you remember him, right? – well, he told Akane that he was interested in hiring a part-time assistant to help him in the clinic," Kasumi went on. "Now, I don't know if you know anything about medicine, but…"

"Aiyaa! Shampoo know lots about medicine!" the Amazon grinned broadly, jumping and clasping her hands together. "Great-grandmother teach Shampoo Chinese herbs and medicine! Is important teachings for Amazon womans!"

"Really?" Kasumi beamed, gratified by how perfectly this was turning out. "That's wonderful! Dr. Tofu uses medicines like those in his office! And I'm sure he could use an assistant who is familiar with them!" Giving Shampoo a moment to consider this, she then asked, "Does that sound good to you?"

Bringing her hand to her chin, the lavender-haired frowned. For several seconds she stood there, seeming to look at the situation from every angle. "Hmm…Shampoo not have better idea," she finally admitted. "And…"

Tilting her head to the side, Kasumi prompted for Shampoo to continue. "And?"

A few seconds passed with Shampoo seeming to consider what to say next. A time that was filled with the sounds of the Saotomes' morning workout. At last, she looked out the kitchen window, frowned, and shook her head. "No. Is nothing," she lied. Forcing a more upbeat look onto her face, she asked, "When we ask Dr. Tofu?"

"Hmm…" Kasumi started, considering the matter. "Well, I have some chores to take care of first, but…we could go out after lunch, if that would be alright."

"Okay," Shampoo nodded. Then her entire body went rigid, as if jolted with electricity. Just as Kasumi was about to ask what was wrong, she heard something else. A pair of voices she knew drawing closer.

"That sure was a great workout, Ryoga!" came Akane's voice. "Thanks for helping me with these new weights! It's getting easier to move with them all the time!"

"Uh, well…it was…no problem, Akane," Ryoga replied, the two of them passing by the kitchen door. "Just be careful about how you move with them at first, or…" The fanged warrior then looked in the kitchen, apparently looking to see if breakfast was ready, only to instantly lock gazes with Shampoo.

_Oh, my…_ Kasumi gulped inwardly, taking an involuntary step backwards as she watched the two warriors exchange looks, untold emotions floating in the air between them. Neither of them speaking, but the silence that filled the air speaking volumes for them. _Perhaps I should talk to Dr. Tofu as soon as breakfast is done. This is all very uncomfortable…_

* * *

"Come on, Ranma! Hurry!" Akane cried out as she raced through the streets, schoolbag in hand. "We're going to be late!"

"Aw, relax, will ya?" Ranma returned as he jogged along the top of a convenient fence, as was usual. "We've got plenty of time!"

"We would have if you didn't waste so much time with getting dressed!" Akane shot back. "Honestly! Why can't you and your father find someplace else to practice? Like _away from the fish pond?!"_

"Hey, give me a break! The backyard has the most room for practicing!" Ranma declared irritably. "It's not like I try to get dunked in that thing all the time!"

"Well, for someone who isn't trying, you sure are succeeding!" Ryoga sniped, the fanged warrior keeping pace just behind Akane. "Every morning, it's the same thing! I'm amazed you don't get bucket duty every day!"

"You're not in a position to talk, pork breath!" Ranma countered irritably. "If it weren't for me leading the way, you'd have spent most weeks just trying to _find_ the school!"

"Hey, don't even go there!" Ryoga countered, baring his fangs fiercely at his rival. "Besides, those days are over, so don't even -!"

"Would you two stop arguing already?!" Akane shouted, having had her fill of this sort of thing for the morning. "Look, we're late enough as it is! So would you please just save it until later?!"

A disgusted snort was Ranma's answer to this, while Ryoga gasped aloud before murmuring shamefully, "I…I'm sorry, Akane."

Darting a glance over her shoulder at the fanged boy, Akane couldn't help but smile. "It's okay, Ryoga," she told him gently. Deciding to change subject, she said, "Anyway, it's not like you had anything to do with our being late. So don't worry about it!"

"Huh? O-oh, right!" Ryoga returned, his cheeks coloring somewhat.

While Akane chuckled at how bashful Ryoga could be at times, the Ranma asked, "Say, that reminds me, Ryoga. Why exactly _are _you coming with us, anyway?" Two sets of eyes went immediately to the pigtailed warrior, who shrugged in response. "Well, it's not like he actually has to go. He's not enrolled in our school or nothing, and the match with Kodachi ended a while ago, so he doesn't have to play being your bodyguard anymore."

"Well, maybe I just felt like coming along! You got a problem with that?" Ryoga grumbled, an evil glare out of the corner of his eye.

"Besides, why _shouldn't _Ryoga come along? He can go wherever he wants!" Akane wondered somewhat irritably. Then, with thoughts of last night's absolute fiasco still burning her insides, she added, "Besides, after all the trouble we've had because of that crazy Amazon of yours, I know I'd like to get away from her as much as possible!"

"Hey, wait a minute! What's _that _supposed to mean?!" Ranma demanded crossly, never losing step despite his distraction. "It's not like I _wanted _her to show up! I've been trying to ditch her from the day I first met her!" When Akane snorted at this, the gender-bending martial artist added, "Seriously! Trying to lose her has been trying to lose a pack of wolves with raw steaks tied to your heels!"

"Oh, really?" Akane demanded.

"Yes, really! And I should know!" Ranma told her, his voice rising with his ire. "That was _another_ of Pop's bright ideas! Thought it would it give me incentive to develop my speed!"

"That certainly explains how you got to be so good at running away, Saotome!" Ryoga sniffed, grinning wryly at Ranma.

"Ryoga, please don't encourage Ranma!" Akane told him, her eyes hardening as she glanced at the fanged boy. As Ranma celebrated his rival's rebuff, the youngest Tendo added, "And Ranma! Stop provoking Ryoga!" Aware that both males were now looking squarely at her, Akane declared, "I would like to be able to get through at least _one _day without any craziness or fighting or any of that! Is that understood?!" Though both boys made noises of annoyance (and in Ryoga's case, shame), they both fell relatively silent as they proceeded onward.

Despite Akane's concerns, they succeeded in reaching Furinkan High well before the bell sounded and the gate closed, and thus found many students still milling about the front yard. "Whew! Just in time!" the youngest Tendo declared as they arrived, heaving a relieved sigh. "You ready for class, Ranma?"

"Yeah, sure," Ranma returned disinterestedly. Looking around the corner of the wall as he walked onto school grounds, he had added, "Seeya later, Ryoga."

While Ryoga gave his rival a look, Akane nodded, smiling at the boy. "Right. Have a nice day."

"Right. You, too," Ryoga replied, his cheeks coloring again. Smiling broadly, Akane giggled at the fanged boy's reaction. She looked like she was about to say something, only to suck in a quick breath before lowering her eyes. "Huh? What is it?"

"Hmm?" Akane started, returning his look. Now it was her turn to blush as she shrugged and averted her face. "I'm sorry. I was just…well…I was just thinking it was too bad that you can't stay here for the day. At school, that is." Ryoga looked perplexedly at the , waiting for her to complete her thought. "I mean…you…must be lonely, staying at home all day."

Realizing Akane's , Ryoga smiled for her benefit. "Y-you don't have to worry about me, Akane," he murmured in abashed tone. "The fact is…I'm kind of…it's just…I've kind of gotten…used to it by now."

But he didn't like it. Akane could hear that reality in his words, despite the fact that Ryoga hadn't actually put it into words. _It must hurt so much, _she thought, the image of his wanderings as a perpetually lost boy in her mind. And then the thought of Ryoga just staying at home all day, with no place to go stung at her. _Then again, it's not like he's going to be there all on his own, _Akane remembered, trying to shove aside this pang of guilt. _Dad's going to be there, and so is Mr. Saotome, and then there's Kasumi, and…_

As this thought ran its course, Akane jumped as another image floated into her mind. An image of Shampoo, the deranged Amazon that had chased Ranma across an ocean with the intent of him, and had latched onto Ryoga the instant he had defeated her. Who was sitting in the Tendo household, trying to figure out who to kill and who to marry, and had already demonstrated a penchant for flying off the handle without any warning. And while Kasumi had mentioned that she was going to ask Dr. Tofu is Shampoo could stay with him, Akane had no idea whether or not her older sister would be successful in convincing him. And if she failed, Ryoga would be forced to either wander around town all day every weekday, or be under the same roof as a vindictive, dangerous, obsessive, seductive…

_Seductive?!_ Akane thought, practically jumping out of her skin in realization. _What the…where did _that _come from?!_ Grimacing in distaste, she quickly shook her head about, trying to rid herself of such errant thoughts.

While she was struggling with her own brain, Akane's eyes went wide when she realized that Ryoga was standing there, staring at her in confusion. "Anyway, I was just thinking that…you quit school because you went chasing after Ranma, right?" Ryoga numbly nodded to this. "Well, since you're not chasing after him anymore…why not reenroll _here_?"

A puzzled squeak was Ryoga's initial response. Taking a step back, he stared in surprise at the youngest Tendo. "Wh-what?"

"Why not? It's never too late, you know!" Akane persisted, warming to the notion. "You could try to take the placement test for here! Try to get in!"

"Huh?" Ryoga gaped. If anything, he was even more surprised than before. "You…you really think so?"

"Of course!" Akane beamed. "If you like, I could help you study to get ready for it! It's the least I can do for you, after everything you taught me about Rhythmic Gymnastics!"

Once again, Ryoga was floored by the idea. His cheeks coloring deeply, he brought his hand to the back of his neck and averted his eyes, grinning stupidly the entire time. "I…well, if you don't mind, then…I guess it couldn't hurt to try."

"Great!" Akane replied, almost surprised at how relieved she now felt. "How about I go to the principal's office and find out what we need to get started! Then we could start studying tonight, and -!" Akane's smile fell and went upside down when a metal scraping noise cut her off. Having a very bad feeling, she looked about, and saw that one of the janitors was just closing up the gate. "Hey! Wait a minute!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Tendo," the janitor apologized as he finished his duty, locking the gate in place and sealing her out. "I'm just doing my job."

"But I'm not late! I was just talking to someone right here!" Akane protested, moving up to grab hold of the bars. "C'mon! please let me in!"

"Sorry. Rules are rules," the janitor told her, his bored manner making it clear that he had heard many similar excuses over the years. "If you have to jaw around with one of your friends, you should do it during free hours."

"But -!" Akane sputtered, but to no avail as the janitor walked away. Leaving her to stand there, to be penalized for a full day.

While the youngest Tendo rattled the bars, wanting nothing more than to rip them out and wrap them about the janitor's neck, a voice cut through her fury. "I'm sorry, Akane," Ryoga spoke mournfully, causing her to gasp in surprise. "This is all my fault."

Her anger momentarily forgotten, Akane turned to face the fanged boy. "No, it's not. I just…got to talking, that's all," she told him earnestly. Returning her eyes to the closed gate, she sighed unhappily. "I don't know what I'm going to do now, though."

Frowning himself, Ryoga looked at the gate that barred their way. "Well…actually, I could get you over this."

"Really?" Akane gaped. "Oh, Ryoga, could you?"

"Sure, no problem!" Ryoga answered, moving up alongside her and wrapping one arm about her waist. Holding her tightly but not enough to cause her any pain, he bent his knees slightly before looking at her. "Are you ready?" When Akane nodded, the fanged boy jumped up, effortlessly carrying her upwards.

"Whoa!" Akane, her eyes going wide as the two of them easily flew over the wall before coming to an abrupt landing within the schoolyard. But she barely felt the shock of impact, Ryoga absorbing most of the impact before her feet even touched the ground.

"There you go," Ryoga smiled as he released his grip.

"Whew!" Akane replied, turning to face her benefactor. "Thanks, Ryoga! I really appreciate this!"

"Uh, sure! No problem!" Ryoga chuckled nervously, his cheeks coloring once again. He quickly sobered up, though, and added, "Um…guess you should get going! Don't want you getting in trouble, and…"

"Right! I'm probably going to get bucket duty as it is!" Akane muttered, already seeing it coming. "Still, thanks, Ryoga! I'll see you later! Bye!"

Barely aware of Ryoga returning her farewell, Akane darted off towards the school. _I really do hope Ryoga decides to enroll here, _she found herself thinking. _He's been so sweet and helpful…unlike someone _else _I could mention!_ Sighing in her heart, the youngest Tendo entered the school, her thoughts already elsewhere. _If Ranma were that nice, I might not mind this stupid engagement business so much!_

* * *

Staying just long enough to watch Akane enter Furinkan High, Ryoga then leapt back over the wall and started towards the Tendo dojo. Taking it slowly and being careful to mind all the road signs and landmarks he had painstakingly memorized while on his many walks with Akane, he made his way to the place that had slowly become his home.

As he made his way, Ryoga's thoughts slowly strayed on him, veering back towards the school he had just left. _I guess haven't thought about it much since I left home, but…it sure has been a long time since I've been to school, _he thought, memories of those days rising to the surface. Interacting with friends, fuming over the many impossible questions teachers seemed to delight in throwing into tests for the simple purpose of making their students' lives miserable, studying together. Of course, there were several things Ryoga hadn't enjoyed at all, like being laughed at for his awful sense of direction, and having to wear Ranma's foot marks in his hair after lunch, but…

_That's right. If I'd never met Ranma, I might have a completely different life right now, _Ryoga thought, considering the way things might have been. _I wouldn't have this stupid cursed body, and…_ The fanged warrior than trailed off, this thought leading him to its logical conclusion. Because if he had never met Ranma, not only would he not have been cursed, but he also wouldn't have met Dr. Tofu, who had diagnosed the source of Ryoga's formally wretched sense of direction and improve it the point where he hardly ever got lost. He wouldn't have begun to understand why Ranma could be such a jerk at times, and most importantly…he never would have met Akane.

_Still…I wonder…_Ryoga thought idly. _There's a whole part of Akane's life that I know nothing about. The part of her that enjoys studying, being with her friends at school, all those things…_ Frowning, the wandering warrior considered the matter. _And…I guess I wouldn't have to put up with the kids laughing at me for getting lost anymore. But…_

Exhaling sharply, Ryoga found himself giving the matter even deeper consideration. On the one hand, he owed a great deal of his strength to the fact that he was able to devote so much of his time to training, and his constant wanderings had certainly given him considerable endurance. Going to school would almost certainly take away from that.

But even as he thought of that, the image of his eternal rival appeared in his mind. Ranma was still going to school, despite his prolonged training expedition to China, and he made time for training. And as much as it goaded Ryoga to think about it, he had never been able to defeat the younger Saotome, whether in actual battle or in the sparring sessions they had at the dojo. So his wandering ways had clearly not provided him with the strength needed to finally triumph.

_Still…I don't know,_ Ryoga thought. _I guess I could put it even more time for training. I could get a serious advantage over Ranma, while he's sitting around in class. _Before he could get at all excited about such a thought, the picture of the who had been so good to him came to mind. _But…to be able to spend more time with Akane…to be with her more often, as a part of her campus life…_

Love and revenge tearing at him with equal allure, Ryoga finally bared his fangs in frustration. "Dammit! If only I had some sort of _sign! _Something to…!" Then he looked up from his internal struggle, and his tongue fell flat in his mouth. "Wh-what the -?!"

Grinding to a halt, Ryoga stared in horror at what lay before him. Familiar sensations of shock, confusion, and humiliation ran through him as he stood stock-still, gazing at the very school that was at the heart of his dilemma.

"But – but I haven't gotten this lost in over a _month!!_" Ryoga howled in protest, raising his arms before him as if to shield himself from this reality.

Struggling to make sense of what had happened, Ryoga pushed his brain to its limits, considering the possibilities. The first to occur to him was that perhaps Dr. Tofu's treatment was wearing off. But then he shook his head, partly out of denial, for he had made his way through the Tendo household and even gone to one of the local grocers without any trouble just yesterday. _Besides, I was busy thinking about what Akane said, _Ryoga reminded himself, almost afraid to think about the alternative. _I probably just missed a road sign, or…or…_

Even as Ryoga was considering this possibility, that he had just made a minor mistake and had gotten himself turned around as a result, his mind went numb as another possibility occurred to him. To get so completely lost that he wound up _here, _of all places, when he had trying to choose between his feelings for Akane and his bitter grudge with Ranma? There was only one way something like that could ever happen.

"Of course! _This _is a _sign_! It has to be!" Ryoga declared, clenching his fist before him. Grunting with satisfaction, he stared at the school which was now his destiny. "All right, then! Tonight, I'll start studying with Akane, and I won't rest until I'm enrolled in Furinkan High School!"

* * *

"There!" Shampoo declared as she slid her letter into the postbox. "Shampoo hope Great-grandmother get it soon."

"So do I," Kasumi concurred, standing off to the Amazon's side. "Now that that's taken care of, let's get to Dr. Tofu's."

Nodding, Shampoo studied the gentle woman. "He won't be too busy to speak, will he?"

"Oh, no! Not at all!" Kasumi informed her with a bright smile. "In fact, his office is almost always empty when I drop by." Surprised by this, Shampoo studied the Tendo matriarch, who shrugged in response. "I'm not sure why that is, though. Just…good timing, I guess. Shall we go?"

Forgetting her momentary puzzlement, Shampoo nodded and quickly fell in step behind Kasumi. As the two of them made their way to the clinic, the young Amazon couldn't help but look about at the many people who made their homes and livelihoods within the Nerima Ward. While she had seen her share of cities in her pursuit of Ranma, she still had a hard time believing how big and crowded everything was. There were people _everywhere,_ whether it be merchants hawking their wares or restaurant owners or people just going from here to there.

_Sometimes it feels like everything away from home is big, _Shampoo thought, feeling a twinge of nostalgia for the familiar surroundings of her native village. Furrowing her brows, she banished that twinge. Feelings of fear and the like were ill-befitting an Amazon warrior, and she was most certainly a warrior.

Despite this, Shampoo couldn't help but wonder what laws and codes these people lived by. If her limited understanding of Japanese was correct, she had already run afoul of one or two such laws. And while the code of her people certainly took precedence, she didn't like not understanding the people and laws of the land she was now in, or how these things impacted her own goals there.

_My goals. I don't even know what my goals are! _Shampoo thought woefully, thinking of the two males who had defeated her. Both of them were clearly strong fighters, and either one of them would certainly inject strong into her tribe. Allow her to give birth to many strong children. _I hope Great-grandmother gets that letter soon. I don't think I'll be able to sleep until I know which of them I'm supposed to marry!_

These dark thoughts hovering about in her mind, Shampoo was brought out of them when Kasumi gently announced, "Shampoo, we're here." Looking up, the Amazon saw that they had reached the clinic where she had tracked down Ranma's father. Surprised by this and a bit annoyed that she had been so lost in thought that she had been unaware of their progress, she followed Kasumi towards the clinic.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Saotome!" Kasumi spoke as they approached, Shampoo catching sight of Ranma's father, who was presently sweeping out the front of the clinic while in his panda guise.

"Nihao," Shampoo greeted him, to which the panda gave a slow wave of his paw. She then followed Kasumi in, aware of the bloated creature following them.

Once inside, Shampoo noted an elderly man sitting inside, looking at a magazine of some sort. "Good afternoon," Kasumi beamed cheerfully. The man looked up in response…and instantly paled.

"Uh – Kasumi!" the man gaped, jumping to his feet. "You…are you here to see the doctor?"

"Why, yes," Kasumi replied. "I have something important that I wanted to talk to him about."

"Oh! I – I see!" the man babbled out, stepping gingerly towards the door. "Well, it was nice to see you again, Kasumi, my dear! Have a nice day! Bye!"

Shampoo frowned as she watched the elderly man depart. Though her Japanese was faulty, she still recognized fear when she saw it. And that old man had most definitely been afraid of something. _But what? _the Amazon wondered. She doubted it had been her; she hadn't made any threatening gestures, and in any case, the old man hadn't been looking at her, anyway. His focus had been entirely…on Kasumi.

While Shampoo was considering this, a voice was heard from one of the rooms. "Hello? Is someone there?"

"Why, hello, Dr. Tofu!" Kasumi smiled as the door opened, revealing the doctor that had guided Shampoo to the Tendo household. "How are you doing today?

The bespectacled doctor looked about his waiting room. Then something very surprising happened. His glasses seemed to go completely opaque, and the goofiest smile Shampoo had ever seen spread across his face. "Why – um – Kasumi! Well, this is most unexpected, seeing you…here, of all places! Ah ha ha ha…"

Despite her flawed Japanese, Shampoo felt certain that there was something wrong with the way the doctor was speaking. She was about to comment about it when Kasumi replied, "Dr. Tofu, I came here because I have something very important to talk to you about." The Tendo matriarch then moved and gestured at the Amazon. "You remember Shampoo, right?"

"Oh, of course!" Dr. Tofu answered. Still smiling like an idiot, he went up to the panda now stood to her right. "H-hello, Shampoo! How've you been?" he wondered, taking hold of Genma's paw. The transformed man howled in pain to the tune of cartilage popping. "My, what nice fur gloves you have!"

If anything, Shampoo became even more confused than before. In her brief initial encounter with the doctor, she immediately recognized him as a formidable martial artist. And now he was completely falling apart, babbling incoherently and talking absolute nonsense! And how on earth could he possibly mistake a bloated, hairy animal for a fine Amazon woman?!

_Unless…_ Shampoo thought, considering the situation even as Genma freed himself from the doctor's grip and shoved him to face her.

"Well, Shampoo is going to be staying in town for a while," Kasumi went on to explain. "However, because of her…situation…she can't stay our place. So I was hoping that she could stay here with you."

Dr. Tofu turned his blank eyes towards Kasumi, before babbling out, "St-stay…here?"

"It'd only be for a short while," Kasumi assured him. "And besides, you once said you were hoping to find someone to help you as a medical assistant."

"Oh, yes! Of course!" Dr. Tofu babbled. "I did say that, didn't I?"

_No…it can't be…_ Shampoo thought, looking at the interplay between the two of them with increasing dread. _Not here in Japan…not after all these hundreds of years!_ Her entire body tensing up, she focused on the Tendo matriarch. _Besides, Kasumi's so passive! There's no way…she couldn't possibly have such a…_

"Yes, you did," Kasumi agreed, smiling in an incredibly charming fashion. "And as it turns out, Shampoo knows a great deal about Chinese herbal remedies. I'm sure she'd make a good assistant for you."

"Uh, yes! I mean, of _course_ she would!" Dr. Tofu replied, the perfect image of an absolute cretin. "A perfect assistant! Anybody could see _that!_"

"Oh, my! Does that mean…you'd be willing to let her stay here?" Kasumi gasped, clasping her hands before her.

"Absolutely!" Dr. Tofu replied. "She can stay here for as long as she likes!"

"Oh, Dr. Tofu! How wonderful!" Kasumi breathed, beaming gratitude at the man. "Thank you so very much!"

"Uh, sure! Don't mention – it's no big thing – I mean- I -!" Dr. Tofu replied jerkily, holding his hands before him like he didn't know what to do with them. All the while Shampoo continued to watch, her dread suspicion growing by leaps and bounds.

_It…it just can't be! Great-grandmother told me it was just a legend! _Shampoo protested inwardly, a gaping pit opening in her stomach. _But…the way he's acting…he can't control his own actions, he's jabbering like an idiot, and he's even willing to let a complete stranger into his own home just because she asked him too?! Does…does that mean…?!_

"This really does mean a great deal to me," Kasumi went on, moving closer and placing a hand on the doctor's forearm. Her slightest touch causing his grin to nearly split his face in half even as his body shuddered. "Really, Dr. Tofu, I can't thank you enough."

"Y-you don't need to…" Dr. Tofu tried to get out, but he was shaking too badly to do so. In mere seconds, the convulsions afflicting him caused the doctor to jump into the air, automatically grabbing hold of a lighting fixture. "In fact, I'll get her room ready right – now – I mean -!" The doctor was unable to say anything else, for the electrical current running through the light was adding to his convulsions, causing him to spasm madly.

"Oh, my!" Kasumi murmured, seemingly unconcerned with the fact that the doctor was electrocuting himself. "Dr. Tofu can be so silly at times."

Stepping backwards with a sense of growing horror, shaking her head as she did, Shampoo found herself looking at Genma, who was holding up a sign. And while she couldn't read Japanese very well, she could read it well enough to make out, 'The power she has over him is scary!'

With that, Shampoo's dread suspicion was confirmed. _It…is IS! It has to be! The Yan Huanghou! The Eye of the Empress! _she thought, practically cringing at the thought. _The legendary technique created by Empress Xi-tai-hou of the Ching Dynasty!_

As if a dam had blown, everything Shampoo had ever heard about this horrifying technique flooded into her mind. Of all the Chinese empresses, Xi-tai-hou was the least tolerant of anything male, and deemed them nothing more than puppets to be used and disposed of when she saw fit. She had developed many methods of manipulating and tormenting them, such as the woman-repelling herb Nyokenko_._ But of all the techniques she had developed, the Eye of the Empress was without a doubt the most terrifying. All she had to do was look at a man, and he would be helpless to do anything to resist her will. In extreme cases, when the victim was especially susceptible to this power, they were reduced to blithering cretins whose own bodies went completely out of control. Many tales had been written about the maddened antics of those pitiful souls as they ran throughout the city, acting like madmen until the influence of the Eye ran its course.

_No wonder that old man ran out of here so fast! _Shampoo realized, casting a nervous look at the woman who had reduced the poor doctor to the wreck that was currently smoldering on the floor before her. A woman who had risen to the position of power within her household, and obviously for good reason. _He was probably afraid that Kasumi would turn the Eye on him!_

While Shampoo was silently thanking any gods listening for the fact that she had been born a female, and thus immune to the Eye's horrible power, Kasumi turned to look at her. "Well, now that that's settled, why don't we go back and get your things," she decided. Then she looked over at Genma, looking completely as she asked, "Mr. Saotome? Would you be so kind as to help Shampoo with her things?"

The panda's response was immediate. He flung his paw up into a salute before casting a nervous glance at the pathetic wreck that was Dr. Tofu. _I didn't even see a thing! _Shampoo thought, awestruck at how simple the technique was. _Either it's invisible to the eye, or she didn't have to use it because she knew Genma wouldn't put up a fight!_ Joining the panda in gazing at the tattered doctor, the Amazon thought grimly. _Of course, if the alternative is to wind up like that, then…_

Feeling a great swell of pity for the doctor, Shampoo was barely aware of Kasumi saying, "Well, then, let's get going, everyone. The sooner Shampoo's settled, the better." Not waiting for anyone else, the Tendo matriarch made her way through the door, with both Amazon and panda close behind her. As they exited, Shampoo noted a gathering of older people, mostly men, talking fearfully amongst themselves. And while she couldn't make out what they said, she certainly noticed the nervous glances they cast at Kasumi.

_There's no doubt about it! It _has _to be the Eye of the Empress! Those poor people are all _terrified _of her! Even the women!_ Shampoo thought, goosebumps rising up from her flesh. _They must know that to displease her is to invite certain doom!_

As the odd threesome made their way back to the Tendo household, Shampoo found herself lost in thought. _I…I never realized that there were people who had powers like that out here, _she mused, darting fearful glances at Kasumi. Unable to forget how effortlessly he had crushed that poor doctor's will like a chestnut in her hand. _I…I knew that Ranma and Ryoga are both strong warriors – they'd have to be, in order to have defeated me – but…_

It was then that Shampoo truly realized how little she knew of the world beyond her rustic Amazon village. She had heard her share of rumors, of course, about the many strange machines and technologies, but she had always assumed that the vast majority of the people out there were pathetic weaklings.

_But if that were the case, why would the elders have made the marriage laws? _Shampoo thought, recalling the predicament her people were in. Her Amazon tribe had been keeping mainly to themselves for as long as anyone could remember, determined to preserve their strength and traditions from the march of time and the temptations of the outside world. But seemingly as a result of this isolation, both the skills and population of her tribe had been diminishing, and thus the elders had enacted those laws in order to draw in new from the outside world. _If everyone outside the village was so weak, then why would we need outside ?_

The fact of the matter was that they wouldn't. In fact, if her brief stay at the Tendo dojo were any evidence, then the martial way wasn't dying out in the outside world, it was in fact thriving. There were at least three families she knew of that could boast of powerful warriors…and where there were three, there were probably more. Possibly even a great many more.

And Shampoo was alone in this strange world. With only herself to rely until her great-grandmother arrived.

_In that case, there's only one thing I can do, at least until great-grandmother gets here, _Shampoo frowned determinedly. _I have to train. Train as hard as I can. I have to study and master more of our Chinese Amazon techniques. That way, when great-grandmother arrives and tells me what I have to do, I'll be ready to fight…and to kill, if I have to._

While Shampoo was considering the training methods of the Amazon techniques she was aware of, a strange sound caught her ear. A sound very much like someone whooping in delight. Slowing down somewhat, the lavender-haired craned her neck as she looked about, searching for the source of the strange sound. Only to freeze in horror when she finally caught sight of it.

Dr. Tofu, the man she had only recently seen electrocuted, was running and jumping about the rooftops of the businesses lining the street. Crying out in delight as he seemed to dance about with a _skeleton_, completely mindless of the stares and cries of confusion that he elicited from the people about him.

As Dr. Tofu finally bounded out of sight, Shampoo stood there, trembling in horror. _The old stories didn't lie. The Eye of the Empress really _is_ a horrible power, _she knew, turning to look at the woman who wielded such awful power. A woman who looked so docile and harmless, yet wielded such a skill with such utter ruthlessness.

_Suddenly, I'm very afraid,_ Shampoo thought, praying that her letter reached its destination soon. _Please hurry, Great-grandmother…_

* * *

"Kaori? Kaori, are you in there?"

Kaori Daikoku didn't pause as she answered, "Yes, Father? What is it?"

Continuing her morning workout, Kaori was aware of her honorable father as he made his way into the family dojo. "Ah, Kaori, my dear, I have some wonderful news for you!" he spoke, waving his fan about for emphasis. "I just got word from my private investigator."

"About what?" Kaori wondered disinterestedly as she fired off a devastating blow at a target delivery case. "Has he gotten the dirt on Ashima Noodles so you can buy them out?"

Laughing at this implication, her father returned, "Don't you worry about that particular takeover, my dear. It's as good as settled, anyway." He then leaned in closer to her, a very familiar gleam in his eye. The gleam that appeared whenever he was about to close a very profitable deal. "As for the news I have, I believe it will be of special interest to you."

"Hmm?" Kaori returned, pausing in her workout to gaze at her father. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it seems I'm going to finally be able to cash in on an investment I made when you were just a baby," her father grinned. "I've found him."

"Found him?" Kaori repeated blankly. Then the meaning of her father's words became clear, and the long-haired beauty matched his feral grin. "So, you've finally tracked down Genma Saotome."

"Indeed, my dear!" her father agreed happily. "He's recently settled down in a new city. A small, but apparently thriving bit of real estate. Perfect for setting up a few restaurants!" Chuckling in his throat, the elder Daikoku shook his head. "Ah, Genma. To think that you actually believed that you could renege on deal with me. You'll soon learn the error of your thinking."

"And soon, I'll have a husband to help me carry on the art of Martial Arts Takeout Delivery!" Kaori grinned, making a fist as she envisioned the ten or twelve children she would soon be bearing and grooming in the way of her family.

"Quite so, my dear!" her father agreed. "So why don't you get packed and ready to go? It's time we collected your groom!"

"Right away, father!" Kaori agreed, darting off as she imagined her husband-to-be…

* * *

Author's Notes: It recently occurred to me that I've been neglecting this story gather dust for a little while, so I decided to get back on track with it. Please, read and review! And maybe check out my other stories.

Now, I know that in the anime, after Shampoo arrives and ultimately departs comes the fiasco with the Golden Pair, Mikado Sanzenin and Azusa Shiratori, despite that flashback Akane has at the time. I guess it doesn't matter, because I have no intention on fussing around with those two nut-jobs, anyway. For one thing, Ryoga's hanging around with Akane mainly as a human, rather than as P-chan, so the incident at the skating rink in which he's abducted wouldn't be likely to happen, anyway. And for another, I couldn't stand either of the Golden Creeps. Mikado's lecherous ways were totally repulsive, and listening to that hyperactive nightmare Azusa is enough to drive anyone crazy. So I hope you'll excuse me for not wanting to have to write either of them.

As for Shampoo's decision to prepare herself for battle, well, that stems from a major gripe I have with the way her character is handled. When Cologne shows up, she starts teaching Ranma and even Ryoga certain Chinese Amazon techniques. The Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, the Bakusai Tenketsu, the Hiryu Shoten Ha, all these were taught to them by Cologne.

See, not only is Shampoo a Chinese Amazon, but she's also Cologne's great-granddaughter. And you'd think that she would know at least a few super powerful fighting techniques of her own. But the only trick she demonstrates is the memory-erasure bit with her special shampoo. Whenever she shows up, it's usually to use some potion or trick to make Ranma hers, and when it comes down to a fight, we only see her mindlessly bashing away at whatever is in her way with her maces. _This _annoys me. Even Ukyo, who is a cook first and a martial artist second, picks up some new tricks as the series progresses. Or am I the only one who remembers her cooking that French freak with her Batter Dragon?

So, I decided that, since I'm changing things up here, it might be interesting to have Shampoo hone her fighting skills and develop some special moves of her own. It'll certainly come in handy when she's dealing with the other rivals for Ranma's affection!

Lady Relena, I can certainly understand why you feel the way you do about Akane. The constant bickering between her and Ranma gets very irritating, very fast. But on the other hand, I guess I can't blame her for being upset, giving the conditions of her engagement aren't exactly what I'd call enjoyable. That's one of the reasons I decided to write this story, because I thought it would be interesting to put her in a situation with a pairing that I think would be much better for everyone involved. Well, except maybe Soun and Genma…those two are just so pathetic…

rewind gone nuts, it seems like a great many extremely unpleasant characters enjoy the benefit of Draco in Leather Pants, everyone from Nabiki Tendo to Sasuke Uchiha to Asuka Langley-Sohryu. It's just one of the great many things I'll never understand. As for when Cologne shows up, I do have a plan in my. I just hope it works out.

Starcalista, you'll just have to wait and see. But I'm going to be deviating from canon quite a lot here, just so you know.

Ganheim, you continue to be an excellent spotter for my various blunders. And yeah, I'm trying to get better at handling the various characters here, and the situation they're in. Just be sure to keep an eye on Shampoo! As you noted, things are going to be very interesting in regards to her!


End file.
